Terror cops hunt down ornamental castor bean plant

A man in Orem, Utah had the Homeland Security flying squad at his house because he'd planted a castor bean plant on his front lawn, prompting a neighbor or passing snitch to decide he was making ricin:

A startled homeowner got a visit from Orem Police Tuesday afternoon. They were interested in a plant that he was growing by his mailbox in the front yard. They were so interested that they put a call into Homeland Security. No, it wasn’t marijuana. It was a castor bean plant...

He says with a laugh, “I’m not a terrorist, but I was terribly frightened when the call came in. I was terrorized (for) my humble little plant that’s over there in the corner.”

Orem man's bean plant investigated (Thanks, Sam!)

[#1 posted by joshhaglund , September 11, 2008 10:44 PM]

Lincoln Fuqua is a master gardener who grew a castor bean plant in his front yard for nostalgia. Born and raised in Kentucky, he was surrounded by castor bean plants. Fuqua remembers, “I used to chew on them as a kid.”

odd, i'm pretty sure that can kill you. a friend 4x the size of a kid recently had a serious lapse of judgment and scratched a castor bean with his teeth to taste it. he says he didn't swallow the bean but that little bit in his mouth was all it took. He thought he was going to die, but didn't.

[#2 posted by nigel1965 , September 11, 2008 11:39 PM]

There's a surprise. Orem,Utah police harassing people about stuff in their yards? Last year, Orem cops ticketed a little old lady (70 years-old)for having a dead lawn. When she argued, they roughed her up, and arrested her. Read all about it here:

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2007/07/07/Elderly_Utah_woman_claims_police_brutality/UPI-22691183841070/

[#3 posted by semiotix , September 12, 2008 1:07 AM]

Born and raised in Kentucky, he was surrounded by castor bean plants. Fuqua remembers, “I used to chew on them as a kid.”

We call that "building up an immunity" in the anti-terror expert biz. GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY!

I think we have to start talking about nuking Kentucky, just to be on the safe side, although I'm willing to settle for just Louisville (it knows why).

[#4 posted by Ugly Canuck , September 12, 2008 3:20 AM]

Terrorism vs. the errorism of the guardians of Orem.
Yep, sounds like Utah.

[#5 posted by LightningCrash , September 12, 2008 3:36 AM]

When castor bean plants are outlawed... Only outlaws will have castor bean plants!

[#6 posted by Ugly Canuck , September 12, 2008 3:44 AM]

Is this article implying that growing a marijuana plant would be a justifiable reason for the Federal anti-terror squads to swoop?
I'm amazed that the growing of any plant would be the grounds for an "counter-terror" operation. But then again RC planes rockets and chemistry sets can serve as such grounds, so why not?

[#7 posted by frankiez , September 12, 2008 6:14 AM]

Why in other civilized countries we don't have these kind of accidents?! 20 years ago reports like this would have been coming from USSR, but now it's USA... The land of freedom is turning into a (post) communist country (on social liberty issues)...

[#8 posted by cavalaxis , September 12, 2008 7:59 AM]

This is utterly hilarious. Castor grows wild on the roadside in Southern California. And I don't mean one or two plants. It's EVERYWHERE.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mister_goleta/391368674/

[#9 posted by Oren Beck , September 12, 2008 9:09 AM]

The sad new world.

[#10 posted by Anonymous , September 12, 2008 10:26 AM]

We have this plant growing in our front yard, and being very bad at plant names I've been known to yell across the plant store "honey, what's the name of that nerve gas plant..." and by the way, salvia as well (lots of things are salvias). Funny and sad.

[#11 posted by matt blank , September 12, 2008 10:45 AM]

Hmm I live in SLC. I might have to pick up a terror plant just to keep my neighbors going.

[#12 posted by Boba Fett Diop , September 12, 2008 10:56 AM]

Wow, my immediate response to this was "snitches get stitches." Have we finally come to a point where prison morality starts to make sense?

[#13 posted by GrayMouser , September 12, 2008 12:55 PM]

I was in Chicago's Millennium Park last Saturday, and now I wish I'd taken more photos - along on walkway I saw several tall Castor Bean plants, and each had a good sized clump of seeds

I hope no one informs Mayor Daley of this.

[#14 posted by Lexica , September 12, 2008 1:14 PM]

Hey, cavalaxis, thanks for the photo. Now I have something to call this plant other than "that Barrayaran-looking thing".

[#15 posted by Guinness74 , September 12, 2008 1:15 PM]

@#3 Semiotix, I assume you're referring to Louisville's poor showing against Kentucky in this year's football game. And, being from Louisville, I can't blame you, but I think nuking might be a bit much.

However, if you're referring to the much maligned Falls Fountain or a poor showing by your Derby horse pick...well, I suppose a nuking wouldn't be out of line.

[#16 posted by jesushootscores , September 12, 2008 3:01 PM]

Our tax dollars at work for us?

[#17 posted by Ugly Canuck , September 12, 2008 3:01 PM]

Matt Blank: I like the idea of "terror plants".
There has not been enough good movies about terror plants, IMO.
Are you listening, Hollywood? (Remember, I said "good"...)

[#18 posted by Sam , September 13, 2008 12:44 PM]

Terror Plants

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eeBQyl0Kvw

ftw

[#19 posted by Anonymous , October 7, 2008 4:20 PM]

first year growing the castor plant in indy. we love it QUESTION can we save the bean for next spring and if so how should we store them.cool site thank you,,,,,, indy