Takedowns

Mailing of Pipe Bombs and Threatening Letters Stating "BANG!! YOU'RE DEAD." Lands Iowa Man in Prison for 37 Years

A former Iowa machinist has been sentenced to prison for mailing two pipe bombs and a dozen threatening letters to investment firms and advisors to help increase the value of the stock he owned in two companies.

John Tomkins, from Dubuque, Iowa, received 37 years in prison for, among other things, using a destructive device while mailing a threatening communication. Evidence presented at trial showed that the mailed parcels contained improvised explosive weapons (“pipe bombs”) which were capable of exploding and causing serious injury or death. Each parcel also contained a letter which stated “BANG!! YOU’RE DEAD.” Some of the letters were signed by “THE BISHOP” and concluded with “TIC TOC.”

GEICO's Good Stuff

Navy Prepares to Purchase Ship Network Systems

GEICO’s Good Stuff is a column series highlighting great stuff happening in the federal community.

The Navy may soon be looking to procure standard networking computing equipment for its ships and submarines, according to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command.

Navy is expecting to release a request for proposals for the systems before the end of May. The Command had previously awarded Northrop Grumman Corp. an initial contract for its Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services system in February 2012. That contract was valued at $637.8 million and covered installation of the gear on 54 ships.

Case Law Update

Seventh Circuit holds that a Suspect's Inquiry "Can you Call my Attorney?" Invoked Right to Counsel

Casey Hunter was shot by police officers in the course of a pursuit.  While Mr. Hunter was in the hospital and under the influence of medically administered morphine, he was Mirandized so that law enforcement officers could interrogate him.  Before answering questions, Mr. Hunter requested that officers contact his parents and his criminal defense attorney; Mr. Hunter specifically asked “can you call my attorney?” and identified his attorney by name as Herb Schultz, a criminal defense attorney, who one of the interrogating officers had previously worked with on several occasions.  Mr. Hunter’s attorney was not called, and additional law enforcement officers then arrived and subsequently interrogated Mr. Hunter.  Mr. Hunter made incriminating statements during his interrogation.  The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that the statements made after the request for access to counsel violated the suspect’s constitutional right to counsel and must be suppressed.