2008 Woodie Awards
Ricin in Vegas motel apparently wasn't meant to harm others, brother of hospitalized man says
By: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: Nation
SAN DIEGO - The man at the center of a ricin scare at a Las Vegas motel says he never had any intention of hurting anyone with the deadly biological agent, his brother told The Associated Press.
Roger Bergendorff, who finally regained consciousness last week after almost a month of hospitalization, possessed the ricin powder found in his motel room in February and believes he was contaminated by it, said Erich Bergendorff, who talked to his brother on the phone Sunday.
"He just confirmed that it was not intended for anybody," Erich Bergendorff said in a telephone interview from his home north of San Diego in Escondido. "It was something that would be used for his own purposes, for self-defense."
Roger Bergendorff, 57, was upgraded from critical to fair condition yesterday at Spring Valley Medical Center.
Erich Bergendorff said his brother was cooperating with investigators who questioned him at the hospital Friday. Las Vegas police referred questions to the FBI, which declined to comment yesterday.
Erich Bergendorff said Sunday's conversation was his first with Roger since he regained consciousness.
Roger Bergendorff, who finally regained consciousness last week after almost a month of hospitalization, possessed the ricin powder found in his motel room in February and believes he was contaminated by it, said Erich Bergendorff, who talked to his brother on the phone Sunday.
"He just confirmed that it was not intended for anybody," Erich Bergendorff said in a telephone interview from his home north of San Diego in Escondido. "It was something that would be used for his own purposes, for self-defense."
Roger Bergendorff, 57, was upgraded from critical to fair condition yesterday at Spring Valley Medical Center.
Erich Bergendorff said his brother was cooperating with investigators who questioned him at the hospital Friday. Las Vegas police referred questions to the FBI, which declined to comment yesterday.
Erich Bergendorff said Sunday's conversation was his first with Roger since he regained consciousness.
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