Statement from Attorneys Representing Dr. Bruce Ivins During Anthrax Investigation

    ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement
 issued by Venable LLP attorneys Paul F. Kemp and Thomas M. DeGonia in
 response to questions surrounding the sudden death of Dr. Bruce Ivins.
 
     "For more than a year, we have been privileged to represent Dr. Bruce
 Ivins during the investigation of the anthrax deaths of September and
 October of 2001. For six years, Dr. Ivins fully cooperated with that
 investigation, assisting the government in every way that was asked of him.
 He was a world-renowned and highly decorated scientist who served his
 country for over 33 years with the Department of the Army. We are saddened
 by his death, and disappointed that we will not have the opportunity to
 defend his good name and reputation in a court of law. We assert his
 innocence in these killings, and would have established that at trial. The
 relentless pressure of accusation and innuendo takes its toll in different
 ways on different people, as has already been seen in this investigation.
 In Dr. Ivins' case, it led to his untimely death. We ask that the media
 respect the privacy of his family, and allow them to grieve."
 
 

     Paul F. Kemp
     Thomas M. DeGonia
     Venable LLP
 
     Contacts: Allan Ripp, 212-262-7477, arippnyc@aol.com
               Charles Wilkins, 202-344-8253, cfwilkins@venable.com
 
 

SOURCE Venable LLP