Case Study 3

Arrest in Nevada

Question 7 of 8

Correct!

Two men were arrested in Nevada on the 19th Feruary 1998 on the assumption that they were in possession of large quantities of Bacillus anthracis. What did the men actually have?

A. Bacteria causing bubonic plague

B. Only empty vials labelled "Biohazard"

C. Anthrax-Vaccine

The men, Larry Wayne Harris and William Leavitt, had bragged about possessing enough "military grade anthrax" to "wipe out the city." However, after their vehicle was sealed in plastic and hauled to a lab for analysis it turned out that the material was the harmless vaccine.
One of the defendants, Larry Wayne Harris, had been convicted in 1995 of illegally obtaining bubonic plague bacteria.

D. Anthrax-Toxin

The Biology Project
University of Arizona
Tuesday, August 4, 1998
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