Magic Beans

Weird Little Guys

iHeartPodcasts and Cool Zone Media

Society & Culture, True Crime

4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 31 July 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 2017, a man showed up at the emergency room and confessed that he'd accidentally poisoned himself with homemade ricin. He was federally charged with possessing a biological agent, but his case was dismissed on almost unbelievable technicality. But he's not the only man who thinks he can create the perfect weapon from nothing but a handful of beans.

Sources:

https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional/ajc-watchdog-north-man-arrested-for-ricin-radicalized-online/wdxws9G7zMmaUDmm22njYK/

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/the-perfect-poison-ricin-used-in-3-recent-cases/

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17023504/united-states-v-jordan/

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6378803/united-states-v-siers-hill/

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6293428/united-states-v-gibbs/

Melissa Abbes, Marc Montana, Christophe Curti, Patrice Vanelle. Ricin poisoning: A review on contamination source, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and reporting of ricin poisoning. Toxicon, Volume 195, 2021

Tucker, Jonathan B. “Dilemmas of a Dual-Use Technology: Toxins in Medicine and Warfare.” Politics and the Life Sciences, vol. 13, no. 1, 1994, pp. 51–62

Bergen, Peter, et al. “Key Trends in Terrorism.” Terrorism in America 18 Years After 9/11, New America, 2019, pp. 45–50

Leo J. Schep, Wayne A. Temple, Grant A. Butt, Michael D. Beasley. Ricin as a weapon of mass terror — Separating fact from fiction. Environment International, Volume 35, Issue 8, 2009

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/15/us/ricin-terrorism-plot-sentencing.html

https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/cfr

https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscode

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/744

https://thebulletin.org/2013/06/barely-lethal/

https://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6020875&page=1

https://slate.com/technology/2012/01/white-powder-hoaxes-a-trend-in-fake-terrorism.html

https://www.justice.gov/archive/tax/usaopress/2002/txdv02091.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-49434687

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/sep/22/woman-poison-plot-mother-breaking-bad-court

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/breaking-bad-inspired-georgetown-student-charged-ricin

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-34288380

USAMRIID’s MEDICAL MANAGEMENT OF BIOLOGICAL CASUALTIES HANDBOOK, Ninth Edition
https://usamriid.health.mil/assets/docs/training/USAMRIIDs_Blue_Book_9th_edition_PDF_format.pdf

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an IHeart podcast.
0:04.4	The Stuff You Should Know guys have made their own summer playlist of their must listen podcasts on movies.
0:10.2	It's me, Josh, and I'd like to welcome you to the Stuff You Should Know summer movie playlist.
0:15.1	What Screams Summer?
0:16.1	More than a nice, darkened, air-conditioned theater, and a great movie playing right in front of you.
0:20.8	Episodes on James Bond, special effects, stunt men and women, disaster films. darkened, air-conditioned theater and a great movie playing right in front of you.
0:22.1	Episodes on James Bond,
0:23.9	special effects, stunt men and women,
0:26.6	disaster films, even movies that change filmmaking,
0:27.5	and many more.
0:29.0	Listen to the stuff you should know summer movie playlist on the IHeartRadio app,
0:31.3	Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
0:35.2	Just like great shoes,
0:36.5	great books take you places.
0:38.3	Through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget.
0:43.3	I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies.
0:48.3	I'm Danielle Robey and this is bookmarked by Reese's Book Club.
0:51.3	The new podcast from Hello Sunshine and IHeart Podcasts,
0:54.8	where we dive into the stories that shape us on the page and off.
0:59.1	Each week I'm joined by authors, celebs, book talk stars, and more for conversations that
1:04.3	will make you laugh, cry, and add way too many books to your TBR pile.
1:09.2	Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the IHeart
	...

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