Way ta create good will in the scientific community, dude!
Scientist in Plague Case Is Sentenced to Two Years
By KENNETH CHANG
Published: March 11, 2004
An expert on plague who caused a bioterrorism scare in January 2003 when he reported plague bacteria missing from his laboratory at Texas Tech University was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison even though a jury had cleared him of the most serious charges.
The expert, Dr. Thomas C. Butler, was also fined $15,000 and is to pay $38,675 in restitution to Texas Tech, in Lubbock. He remains free on bond until April 14 and has 10 days to decide whether to appeal his convictions.
In December, a jury found Dr. Butler, 62, guilty of 47 of the 69 charges that emerged from a federal investigation of him after the scare. None of the 47 convictions were directly related to the original incident. Forty-four involved contract disputes with Texas Tech. Dr. Butler was found guilty of defrauding the university by diverting payments from drug companies for clinical trials directly to his bank account.
…The case drew the attention of many prominent scientists, including several Nobel Prize winners, who said that the prosecution would cause scientists to avoid research related to bioterrorism. Scientists may also be leery of helping F.B.I. agents in an investigation out of fear that they might end up targets like Dr. Butler, they said.
…Judge Sam R. Cummings of Federal District Court imposed a sentence that was lower than the standard set by federal guidelines, citing testimony that the bacteria shipment was done for humanitarian reasons and that the Department of Commerce would have approved a permit had Dr. Butler applied. Judge Cummings also questioned whether Texas Tech deserved any restitution for the "shadow contract" convictions.
