Dr. Ivins gave conflicting statements over time regarding whether he knew how to use a lyophilizer – a sophisticated drying machine that may have been used to dry the spores used in the mailings. In early post-mailing statements, he claimed a lack of knowledge of how to make dried spores. For example, in an interview on January 29, 2002, Dr. Ivins said he had no involvement in the anthrax mailings and had no training in how to make powders. Similarly, in an e-mail to an international anthrax expert, dated February 7, 2002, he stated: “We work with anthrax spore suspensions here and have neither the expertise nor the equipment for generating ‘spore powder.’” When asked about the lyophilizer again a year later, in April 2003, Dr. Ivins stated that he had been trained on how to use it, but had not actually done so since the mid-1990s.
In truth, not only had Dr. Ivins used it, but he also was the actual custodian of the B-5 lyophilizer, as noted on his hand-receipt. In addition, “Property of Dr. Ivins” was written on the front of the document folder and on the manual and supporting documentation inside the storage compartment of the lyophilizer. He also was relied upon to train those who had no experience with it. For example, in an e-mail to Dr. Ivins on August 21, 2000, a microbiologist at USAMRIID wrote: “Bruce, [another researcher] told me you are the one to see about using a lyophoilizer in B-5. Can you show me how to use it or tell me who else knows.” Dr. Ivins responded the next day: “Absolutely … anytime is fine. Come by in the morning and we’ll get it set up.” Indeed, Dr. Ivins was the researcher who actually ordered the machine. In an undated document, Dr. Ivins wrote to a supervisor: “Here is a very close estimate of price for the Virtis lyophilizer.” Finally, Dr. Ivins attended a two-day course in 1996 entitled, “Lyophilization: a short course.” On a DD Form 1556-1, Dr. Ivins noted the following course strengths and weaknesses: “The only weakness was that the course occasionally get [sic] very mathematically detailed. The course strength was the amount of practical knowledge it imparted.”
- D. Motive
Based on his e-mails to two former colleagues (hereinafter “Former Colleague #1 and Former Colleague #2), and from his own statements to investigators, it is clear that by the summer of 2001, Dr. Ivins was under an extraordinary amount of stress in his professional life. The anthrax vaccine research program that Dr. Ivins had invested essentially his entire career of more than 20 years was in jeopardy of failure. The anthrax vaccine with which he was assisting was failing to meet potency standards and, absent some major breakthrough, may have been eliminated. Also, the military anthrax vaccine, and Dr. Ivins, in particular, were the subject of increasingly vocal criticism by those who associated the vaccine with “Gulf War Syndrome.” Finally, the rPA, or Next Generation Anthrax Vaccine, on which he was also working, had run its course at USAMRIID, leaving him potentially without anthrax research to do. According to Former Colleague #1 and others, Dr. Ivins not only took great pride in his work, but also he could not stand to be criticized. Under extreme pressure from so many different assaults on his career and life’s work, Dr. Ivins had a motive to commit the crime.
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