Back on April 17th, I wrote in response to the arrest of an Elvis impersonator (who is big into dismembered body parts awareness) on charges of sending ricin-laced letters to President Obama and a Republican Senator:
So, either this is good, prompt police work or an example of "Round up the usual suspects!"
Now:
Man Is Freed as U.S. Questions Another Over Poisoned Mail
By ROBBIE BROWN
Criminal charges were dropped Tuesday against a Mississippi man accused of mailing poisoned letters to President Obama and two other officials.
One day after the F.B.I. said it could find no evidence that the man, Paul Kevin Curtis, was behind the plot, a federal judge released him from jail and federal authorities shifted focus to another person of interest in the case.
Lawyers for Mr. Curtis, 45, a celebrity impersonator, said he had been framed by a longtime personal enemy, XYZ, a martial arts instructor from Tupelo, Miss. F.B.I. agents raided Mr. XYZ’s house but did not immediately bring charges against him. Mr. XYZ, reached by phone, denied involvement but did not elaborate. [I redacted the new suspect's name: I feel sorry for Mr. Curtis, but who knows how many other archenemies he might have than Mr. XYZ?]
At a news conference after his release ... he said he had never even heard of ricin. “I thought they said rice,” he said. “I said I don’t even eat rice.”
... Mr. Curtis thanked God and his lawyer for his release. A father of four, he has a long history of mental illness, including bipolar disorder, his friends and family have said. Last week, as he faced 15 years in jail, friends stood by him.
“He’s definitely been framed,” said Carol Scott, a longtime friend who is a nurse in Brisbane, Australia. “All I can tell you about him is he’s a well-respected man. He would not be guilty of anything.”
So, to help poor Mr. Curtis out, he're a link to his Elvis impersonation videos. I like his singing voice. As a commenter says, he's good enough to be performing at a lounge in an Indian casino, so let's hope he gets a break. (Of course, he's still not quite right in the head, but, then he's an Elvis impersonator, so, really ...)
(Perhaps Amanda Palmer could write him a poem?)
Everything is turning into a farce.
ReplyDeleteEven Obama is just an impersonator.
"Lawyers for Mr. Curtis, 45, a celebrity impersonator, said he had been framed by a longtime personal enemy, J. Everett Dutschke, a martial arts instructor from Tupelo, Miss."
ReplyDeleteThis could be a Farrelly Brothers movie. Curtis's bipolar disorder could play the role of the obligatory disability.
Elvis impersonator cleared of trying poison messiah impersonator.
ReplyDeleteIs ricin hard to make?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/04/23/george-w-bushs-approval-rating-just-hit-a-7-year-high-heres-how/
ReplyDeletedum duh dum dum dumb
Americans a joke.
Elvis impersonator cleared of trying poison messiah impersonator.
ReplyDeleteWell, presidential impersonator anyway.
Figured.
ReplyDeleteFor the anthrax scare they tried to frame a South African named HAtfield at LSU. Why not a Mississippian for this one?
I have to say his Elvis impersonations are more convincing than those "body parts" featured on his website. They look like props from an Ed Wood film.
ReplyDeleteIs it still possible to buy castor oil? Does anyone still use it? That could explain a false positive at the capitol's off-site mail screening facility.
ReplyDeleteThe guy is pretty talented. Not headliner at Caesar's Palace talented; but more than talented enough to do well at an Indian Casino. I might even pay to see him if it didn't mean too much of a drive.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit of an Elvis fan.
I hope that the unwanted publicity he has received over the last week helps out his career. A lot.
Risto
He should sue the hell out of them for ruining his reputation, much like Richard Jewell
ReplyDeleteSo we can't find a real terrorist when the Russians helpfully point him out, but we can find Elvis impersonators lightning-fast.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be a long century.
Do you think the Fibbies have a desk concentrating exclusively on rogue Elvises? Wouldn't surprise me.
ReplyDelete