Read other letters about this article

• Tuesday, August 5, 2008 02:39 PM

  Dr. Irwin willing to swear under oath about Ivins' condition?

  Reviewing Duley's Peace Order, this particular segment sticks in my brain:

  Dr. David Irwin, his psychiatrist, called him homicidal, sociopathic with clear intentions," the document states. "Will testify with other details." (my emphasis)

  There's some possible ambiguity here, but it appears Duley is saying that Dr. Irwin told her he would be willing to testify, i.e., swear under oath, that Ivins was "homicidal, sociopathic with clear intentions" and had additional detail to back up that diagnosis. Assuming this is a true account of what Irwin told Duley, it places the sensational diagnosis of Ivins' homicidal impulses at Dr. Irwin's door, with Duley just being the messenger. If this was a false account, you would think Dr. Irwin, wherever he may be, would have surfaced by now to deny them and defend his former patient.

  For all the outsized attention paid to Duley, it certainly appears that the FBI and Irwin bear most of the onus for the contents of the Peace Order and hence the more outrageous claims in the news leaks. Obviously both parties went out of their way to insure that Duley interpreted Ivins' potentially disturbing behavior - i.e., voicemails perceived as vaguely threatening, possibly belligerent statements and aggressive behavior in group therapy sessions - in the most terrifying way possible.

  In clinical terms, they scared the crap out of her.

  This may of course also explain the sloppy writing in the Order, but who knows, maybe she just writes like that.

  I see Duley more and more as a victim here, not a willing, knowing part of a conspiracy out to frame a dedicated scientist.

  Pursue Irwin, take on the FBI. I think it's time to let Duley go.

  —LiberalArtist Read LiberalArtist's other letters
  Permalink
  Flag
  Click "Submit Flag" if you feel this post is inappropriate. Explain why below if you wish.

  Cancel