New Orleans – Ashton O’Dwyer, a lawyer who made national headlines by refusing to leave his St. Charles Avenue home after Hurricane Katrina, was arrested Friday by the FBI for sending a threatening e-mail to the United States Bankruptcy Court.
Around 9:30 p.m., O’Dwyer, 62, was arrested at his home in the 6000 block of St. Charles Avenue after sending an e-mail which said, “Given the recent ‘security breach’ at 500 Poydras Street, a number of scoundrels might be at risk if I DO become homicidal,” said a statement from FBI Special Agent In Charge David Welker.
O’Dwyer had a loaded handgun in his possession when he was arrested by agents, according to Welker.
He was suspended in 2008 for unprofessional behavior as an attorney, including filing frivolous lawsuits and cursing at a judge.
O'Dwyer made headlines when he was featured in several national publications, arming himself and defying Mayor Nagin's evacuation order.
500 Poydras Street is the address of the federal courthouse.
FBI spokeswoman Sheila Thorne Thorne says O'Dwyer is being held until a detention hearing scheduled Monday. She says he had an initial court appearance on Saturday.
The Louisiana Supreme Court suspended his law license on March 30, citing a threat of harm which it did not describe.
The U.S. District Court in New Orleans suspended him from its bar for five years in November 2008. That order said O'Dwyer could apply for reinstatement after two years if he took stress and anger management counseling and could prove that his courtroom behavior and practice were up to standard.
It said he also would need certification that nobody had accused him of any unethical or unprofessional conduct of any type since Nov. 7, 2008.
