Walking Dead actor gets maximum 18 years in jail for sending toxic ricin to Obama

[webfact]

Walking Dead actor gets maximum 18 years in jail for sending toxic ricin to Obama

TEXARKANA: -- : A Texas actress who sent ricin-laced letters to US President Barack Obama and the New York City mayor then tried to blame the crime on her soon-to-be ex-husband has been sentenced to 18 years in prison.

A federal judge gave Shannon Guess Richardson, 36, the maximum sentence under her plea deal on a federal charge of possessing and producing a biological toxin. Richardson was also ordered to pay restitution of about $US367,000 ($397,000). She had pleaded guilty to the charge in December.

"I never intended for anybody to be hurt," she told the court on Wednesday, adding later, "I'm not a bad person; I don't have it in me to hurt anyone."

Richardson said she thought security measures would prevent anyone from opening the letters addressed to Mr Obama and the now-former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Prosecutors say Richardson mailed three letters, then went to police and claimed that her estranged husband had done it. She was arrested last June after authorities said she tried to implicate her husband, who had filed for divorce.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/world/walking-dead-actor-gets-maximum-18-years-in-jail-for-sending-toxic-ricin-to-obama-20140717-ztyx0.html


-- The Age 2014-07-17

[Kerryd]

Pathetic headline. She had a minor bit role as a zombie in the first episode and that is it. Can't even figure out which zombie she was. Should have read "Minor extra who played a zombie in one episode of the Walking Dead". Even then it has absolutely no relevance to the show.

Anything to sensationalize a headline I guess.

[jpeg]

Breaking Bad fan eh? Good of The Age to print the main ingredient for the making of ricin

[Daewoo]

It got me - and I am sure many others to read an article - which is actually interesting in it's own right...

She planned and deliberately tried to set her husband up for sending poison the President of the USA... I would have thought that in itself is a pretty interesting article...

[ggt]

My ex...accused me of all manner of dastardly deeds against our own children after I filed for divorce...

Cost her dearly...she was proven to be a cynical manipulator...and was refused even visitation rights...while I raised the kids...

[ukrules]

It's a good job the intended victims didn't eat those letters when they arrived or they would be in serious trouble as ricin is a very dangerous substance.

Edited July 17, 2014 by ukrules

[timmyp]

Now that is a seriously freaky level of vengeful spite...

But she never intended for anybody to be hurt, she isn't a bad person, and apparently doesn't have it in her to hurt anyone, except of course for the husband she tried to frame with such a twisted crime. I guess the authorities should just have a chuckle and let the nice lady go?

[Daewoo]

I guess the authorities should just have a chuckle and let the nice lady go?

Yeah - hadn't they read in Cosmo where it says all is fair in Love and War???

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[pitrevie]

I think Kipling got it right the female of the species is far deadlier than the male.

[smileydude]

I'm thinking this is one actress who got a bit carried away in role playing as she actually believed that one day she will need her guns to protect her from zombies.