CDC gets LV ricin sample

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Wednesday, March 5, 2003 | 9:54 a.m.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday received a sample of what local authorities believe is a homemade batch of the poison ricin that was used in a weekend suicide death of a 60-year-old Las Vegas man.

"They (CDC) got it yesterday and will test it," Clark County Health District spokeswoman Jennifer Sizemore said. "We are expecting results in 24 to 48 hours."

Attempts to reach the CDC for comment today were unsuccessful.

Tomoo Okada, a former slot machine maker and native of Japan, injected himself with the chemical believed to be homemade ricin at his southwest Las Vegas home late Friday, Metro Police said.