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Meanor pleads innocent in federal court By JILL BRISKEY A Grants Pass woman accused of mailing a threatening letter filled with white powder was indicted by a federal grand jury Friday in Medford. Although the powder has not been "positively identified," U.S. District Attorney Robert Thomson said the white substance is not anthrax. Irla Mae Meanor, 78, laid her head on her arms and didn't speak in U.S. District Court as her attorney, Richard Thierolf Jr., entered her plea of innocent. She did, however, say yes and nod her head when federal Judge John P. Cooney asked if she understood the proceedings. At the advice of her defense attorney, Meanor did not talk about the case Friday afternoon. Meanor did say that she had recently been bitten by a black widow spider. "I'm not doing very good," she said. "I don't feel good." Meanor was indicted on one count of mailing a threatening communication. The offense carries a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The grand jury also indicted Meanor on a charge of mailing prohibited matter. That offense carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $5,000 fine. Meanor is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 17 for a status check. A trial date has been set for Jan. 9 at 9 a.m. Thierolf said the jury trial would most likely take two days. He said he could not discuss what Meanor's defense would be. "It's too soon to know what approach we'll take," Thierolf said. Meanor, a former resident of Fair View Transitional Health Center in Grants Pass, was arrested and charged Oct. 19. She is accused of mailing a threatening letter to the nursing home's administrator, Paul Crook. Meanor was forced to leave the nursing home after she was caught stealing other residents' food and feeding diseased feral cats, according to a court affidavit. She reportedly wrote several angry letters to Crook, and before she left the nursing home, Meanor allegedly "prayed for him to die." A postal employee noticed the letter because it did not have a return address, contained a typed address that appeared to come from an "old fashioned" typewriter and later white granules fell from the envelope. Meanor said she has osteoporosis and has had heart surgery. She reportedly told a postal inspector that she takes potassium pills and that maybe some of her medications had fallen into the envelope. The pills contain a powder similar to the one found in the letter, according to investigators. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail jbriskey@mailtribune.com |
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