Fla. Prisoner Gets Life in Anthrax Threat

acting as his own lawyer

Employees at the federal courthouse in Pensacola were held in isolation for about 10 hours after Evans' letter arrived at the clerk's office in April 2004. Initial testing erroneously indicated the substance may have been ricin, a poison even more deadly than anthrax.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swaim told the judge that Evans compounded his crime last week by sending the prosecutor a letter threatening him with botulism.

Evans' lawyer removed himself from the case before the sentencing because he, too, had received a letter from his client threatening him and his family.

Evans already was serving a 50-year state sentence for robbery, armed robbery and escape.