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CNN Live At Daybreak

Poisoning at Church

Aired May 05, 2003 - 08:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Maine have some leads, but they have not solved the mystery behind the deadly poisoning. At a small town church there, one man has died, 15 others got sick from arsenic after drinking coffee at their local church in New Sweden, Maine. That happened a week ago Sunday, answers still elusive this morning.
Jamie Colby is there live there this morning.

Jamie, hello.

JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, good morning.

State police here are saying that at approximately 2:00 this afternoon, they will release results of an autopsy that's being performed on Daniel Bondeson. He's the parishioner who at this time for the first time police are telling CNN is a lead suspect in the case. The autopsy is important because it will help them uncover whether or not the gunshot wound he died of on Friday was self inflicted, or if someone else was involved.

If it turn out it was not self inflicted, they'll widen their investigation and evaluate if there are other suspects. In the meantime, a thorough sweep of Bondeson's home on Friday did uncover police, tell us, evidence as to motive. Although they are not saying what it is. And there is much buzz this morning in new Sweden and outside in Boston as well about a suicide note, a possible suicide note found by police. Police will not confirm or deny if it exists.

But the morning paper, the "Bangor Daily News," which has devoted most of its coverage today to the investigation, does quote a distant relative of Bondeson, who says he has been told a note exists apologizing for the poisoning.

And in the meantime, at that press conference, we may learn more about both how he died and whether or not he was involved in the crime, but it's left the entire community stunned that it had happened in the first place -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jamie, thanks. Jamie Colby in New Sweden, Maine, watching the latest there.

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Aired May 5, 2003 - 08:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Maine have some leads, but they have not solved the mystery behind the deadly poisoning. At a small town church there, one man has died, 15 others got sick from arsenic after drinking coffee at their local church in New Sweden, Maine. That happened a week ago Sunday, answers still elusive this morning.
Jamie Colby is there live there this morning.

Jamie, hello.

JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, good morning.

State police here are saying that at approximately 2:00 this afternoon, they will release results of an autopsy that's being performed on Daniel Bondeson. He's the parishioner who at this time for the first time police are telling CNN is a lead suspect in the case. The autopsy is important because it will help them uncover whether or not the gunshot wound he died of on Friday was self inflicted, or if someone else was involved.

If it turn out it was not self inflicted, they'll widen their investigation and evaluate if there are other suspects. In the meantime, a thorough sweep of Bondeson's home on Friday did uncover police, tell us, evidence as to motive. Although they are not saying what it is. And there is much buzz this morning in new Sweden and outside in Boston as well about a suicide note, a possible suicide note found by police. Police will not confirm or deny if it exists.

But the morning paper, the "Bangor Daily News," which has devoted most of its coverage today to the investigation, does quote a distant relative of Bondeson, who says he has been told a note exists apologizing for the poisoning.

And in the meantime, at that press conference, we may learn more about both how he died and whether or not he was involved in the crime, but it's left the entire community stunned that it had happened in the first place -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jamie, thanks. Jamie Colby in New Sweden, Maine, watching the latest there.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com