I'm sure his residuals should suffice...
AV
Posted on 08/05/2005 4:54:58 AM PDT by TrebleRebel
I-Team 10 follow up: Anthrax investigation 8/4/05
Anthrax Investigation
I-Team 10 has a follow up to the anthrax investigation that led agents to the southern tier a year ago. On August 5, 2004 FBI agents raided the home of a doctor in the town of Wellsville. Since then, Doctor Kenneth Berry has neither been charged, nor formally cleared.
The FBI never said, what, if anything they found from their search of Dr. Berry's home but the investigation apparently never yielded anything that implicated berry in any wrongdoing. Still, the publicity surrounding the raid has left him in legal limbo.
Dr. Berry’s home sits quietly on a hill in the southern tier town of Wellsville but a year ago, in dramatic fashion, it became the focal point of an intense federal investigation.
The FBI was looking for clues into the 2001 anthrax mailings that killed 5 people and sickened 17 others.
A year after the raid, the man at the center of the investigation, Dr. Kenneth Berry, has never been charged. He also has never been cleared of suspicion.
Reverend Dick Helms is an internet pastor and close friend of Berry. "It's outrageous that the FBI and the investigators have not publicly cleared him, although they have privately and verbally told him and his attorney that he is no longer under investigation. He has reason to be bitter. It shouldn't have happened. He has reason to be angry."
Kenneth Berry was a small town emergency room doctor with a big interest in the threat of bio-terrorism. He was director of the emergency room at Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville from 1996 to 2001. Colleagues, like ER Nurse Manager Joan Hand, say he spoke constantly of the importance of emergency response to a biological attack. She shared an office with Dr. Berry. "All of the staff was aware of his concerns and his interest. He was very interested in our ems system, anti-terrorism, and in particular the anthrax threat."
So much so that he started an organization called pre-empt designed to train medical professionals on how to respond to a biological attack.
Berry lectured on the threats of anthrax and spoke at conferences on domestic terrorism.
Ironically, it's his level of interest in the topic that probably drew investigators to his doorstep.
Dr. Berry knew a few months prior to the raid here at his house in Wellsville that he was under investigation by the FBI. In fact, he and some of his associates had been interviewed by investigators. But it was the very public search of his home that friends say began his professional and personal descent."
Images of agents in protective suits removing items from his home in full view of TV cameras angered the doctor. They also raided his parent's beach home in New Jersey where he was staying with his family as cameras captured footage from above.
"It didn't surprise him that they came to look through his home. They could have brought two or 3 agents and quietly done it," said Helms.
In his only interview since the raid, berry told the local Wellsville paper in March that he cooperated with the FBI and in return, the investigation has destroyed his life.
A dispute with his wife on the day of the raids led to assault charges and she has since filed for divorce. A fight has ensued over custody of their son.
Professionally, he lost his job at a Pittsburgh hospital where he commuted and claims his reputation is ruined.
"There's a lot of us that feel they didn't prove anything and what did they have to base their investigation on," said Hand.
The FBI tells I-Team 10 it will not comment on Berry or the case.
Did Berry fit a profile agents were looking for? Shortly after the anthrax mailings, he received patents related to bio-terrorism including one for a surveillance system that would detect an attack. His pre-empt website also flaunted credentials and powerful connections. He had reportedly bragged of having contacts in Washington that included former senator Sam Nunn and retired admiral William Crowe.
Reached at home by I-Team 10 the retired admiral said quote: "I have no knowledge whatsoever of Kenneth berry. No recollection of every meeting him."
Still, his longtime friend Pastor Helms says Berry is a pioneer in homeland security and is owed a major apology. “They have totally destroyed this man. Totally destroyed him. Without cause."
I-Team 10 contacted doctor berry by phone and he referred us to his attorney who would not say if the doctor plans to sue the federal government.
Dr. Berry still has his medical license, but is unable to find work as a doctor.
Pastor Helms says his friend is developing a small business and may at some point decide to write a book.
ping
This is beyond ridiculous. First Hatfield and now this guy.
Completely ignoring that two of the 9/11 hijackers had anthrax on their hands. Completely ignoring that the 9/11 hijackers rented an apartment from the boss of the first man to die of anthrax.
And the FBI still haven't found Whitey Bulger.
It's absurd that no one will hire this doctor. There's something else there.
I'm starting to think the FBI can't find its way out of a paper bag. That they are focusing on American scientists to the exclusion of the 9/11 terrorists is astounding incompetence.
There's a somewhat intriguing question that's never been answered about this guy. Why is he no longer working in the local hospital, where we are led to believe he was highly regarded? Why did his employment there end in 2001? Why was he commuting to a hospital in Pittsburgh, where I believe he was working in some sort of part-time ER staff position?
Is it possible he was marginally employable or unstable before he became the subject of investigation?
As usual, we're presented with an advocacy article that does nothing to clarify the picture, or give any coherency to this man's history.
The only thing interesting is the mention of Admiral Crowe (part owner of anthrax vaccine producer, Bioport), although the article makes no attempt to explain that.
Very telling. FBI hadn't a clue so staged this stunt for the viewing public.
I'm sure his residuals should suffice...
AV
Here's a clickable link:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.hatfill30mar30,0,4937332.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines
Amen!!
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