Robert Stevens (photo editor)
Encyclopedia
Robert Stevens was a photo editor for the Florida
based tabloid, Sun
, employed by American Media Inc. He was the first fatality linked to the 2001 anthrax attacks
in the United States
. He died of pulmonary anthrax
after inhaling anthrax spores from a letter that is believed to have arrived at the American Media offices in Boca Raton, Florida
. He was 63 years old.
His wife, Maureen Stevens, is suing the government for lax security, because she states DNA
testing would prove the particular strain used in this attack comes from the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick
. The case has been held up on grounds of national security.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
based tabloid, Sun
Sun (supermarket tabloid)
Sun is a supermarket tabloid owned by American Media Inc.Its contents have often come under question and has been widely regarded as "sensationalistic writing." Since a 1992 invasion of privacy case, a small-print disclaimer printed beneath the masthead has warned readers to "suspend belief for the...
, employed by American Media Inc. He was the first fatality linked to the 2001 anthrax attacks
2001 anthrax attacks
The 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation case name, occurred over the course of several weeks beginning on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, one week after the September 11 attacks. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He died of pulmonary anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
after inhaling anthrax spores from a letter that is believed to have arrived at the American Media offices in Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
. He was 63 years old.
His wife, Maureen Stevens, is suing the government for lax security, because she states DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
testing would prove the particular strain used in this attack comes from the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick
Fort Detrick
Fort Detrick is a U.S. Army Medical Command installation located in Frederick, Maryland, USA. Historically, Fort Detrick was the center for the United States' biological weapons program ....
. The case has been held up on grounds of national security.