When Judy Mikovits, a well known researcher for his controversial studies linking a mouse retrovirus to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), was imprisoned on a felony charge of being a fugitive from justice, she could defend themselves behind bars and his criminal lawyer chose not to comment. But now she has a new lawyer, Scott Freeman, and he has much to say about his case. "She maintains her innocence and we expect to aggressively defend," said Freeman, who is based in Reno, Nevada. "Clearly, she is not someone who is a criminal."
Mikovits is charged with possession of stolen property from the Whittemore Peterson Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease (WPI) which is located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno. Mikovits worked on WPI for 4 years before being fired in September for insubordination. She helped bring the WPI rising to fame with a report she co-author who ran in Science 2 years ago that linked a mouse retrovirus called XMRV to CFS.
According to an affidavit of a police officer on campus that led to his arrest warrant, she told a laboratory assistant to "smuggle his old office" and retrieve laboratory notebooks , laptop, flash drives and correspondence belonging to the institute. on November 18, Mikovits, who lives in Ventura, California, was arrested and jailed on a felony charge of being a fugitive from justice. bail was set at $ 100,000 in cash. "The outside original mandate was extremely dramatic to have a single cash deposit of $ 100,000 for someone who has no history of being a risk to the community or a flight risk, "says Freeman." So these are very important issues that we will be investigating. Why is she not treated like everyone else? "
Mikovits made bail on 22 November, and turned on laboratory notebooks disputed the police of Ventura County. She went to Reno the next day and went to the prison of Washoe County, which was released on his own recognizance.
Freeman argued that, legally speaking, it is immaterial how she got the matter in controversy. "the question is whether she had the criminal intent to permanently deprive the Institute of property that belonged to them, "he said, adding that he hopes to get the case dismissed.
Mikovits is also the subject of a civil case filed Nov. 4 by WPI on the same property, which he said has been "hijacked". In this case, WPI alleges that she "orchestrated" the theft of property and submitted laboratory assistant's affidavits said he took the matter at its instigation. A civilian lawyer for Mikovits initially denied that it had equipment.
Mikovits will arraignment hearing on January 10, but Freeman said he will simply ask for a new hearing date. "Part of the challenge of representing someone like her is basically that we take a scientist with vast powers and try to educate as a client on what is to be a defendant in a criminal case" says Freeman. "This is an area that she never thought she would be in in his life , and she fights for her life."
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