By Emily Le Coz
JACKSON, Miss., Sept 26 (Reuters) – An Elvis impersonator
from Mississippi falsely accused of sending ricin-tainted
letters to President Barack Obama and other officials filed a
lawsuit on Wednesday against the man authorities now believe is
the real perpetrator.
Paul Kevin Curtis, who was arrested and released in April,
wants an unspecified amount of money from James Everette
Dutschke for defamation of character, emotional distress and
financial loss.
In June, a grand jury indicted Dutschke for allegedly trying
to frame Curtis in the case, sending poisoned letters with
phrases lifted directly from Curtis’ Facebook account,
including, “I am KC, and I approve this message.”
Curtis, who has said the alleged frame-up was part of a feud
between the two men, was interrogated and jailed for six days
while facing international media attention. Both are Mississippi
residents.
Although ultimately cleared of wrongdoing, Curtis has had
trouble finding work as a performer, said his attorney, Christi
McCoy of Oxford, Mississippi.
“His phone just quit ringing after this,” she said. “Kevin
has really been depressed, really had a hard time with this.”
Dutschke was arrested on April 27 and has been held without
bond while awaiting trial on five counts. His attorney, Ken
Coghlan of Oxford, did not immediately return a call for
comment.
Dutschke has pleaded not guilty to the charge of making it
appear as if someone else had sent the letters to Obama, a U.S.
senator and a Mississippi judge. He also pleaded not guilty to
four other charges in the case, including possessing a
biological agent, toxin and delivery system for use as a weapon.
If convicted, Dutschke faces a maximum penalty of life in
prison.
McCoy said Curtis does not expect any financial gain from
his lawsuit. “We’re really looking for answers,” she said.
Curtis wants to know why he was allegedly framed and why the
FBI arrested him without first conducting a more thorough
investigation, McCoy said.
The next step, she said, could involve a lawsuit against the
government.
“Ultimately,” McCoy said, “they’re the ones responsible for
what happened to him.”
(Editing by Sharon Bernstein and Stacey Joyce)
