Man Convicted of Drug Tampering That Killed 2

SEATTLE —  A man was convicted Friday of drug tampering in the 1991 deaths of two people and the near-fatal poisoning of his wife. A juror called the defendant “a remorseless liar.”

Joseph E. Meling was found guilty of putting cyanide-filled capsules into packages of Sudafed 12-hour decongestant in an attempt to kill his wife for $700,000 in life insurance, and of putting the capsules in five other packages to make it appear she was the victim of a random killer.

After four weeks of testimony and three days of deliberations, federal jurors convicted Meling of two counts of product tampering causing death, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. He also was convicted of four other counts of product tampering, two of perjury and three of insurance fraud.

As Judge William Dwyer read the verdict, Meling said nothing but briefly cradled his brow with his hand and shook his head. He wouldn’t comment as marshals escorted him from the courtroom, but his lawyer, Cyrus Vance Jr., promised to appeal.

Jennifer Meling survived the Feb. 2, 1991, poisoning. Kathleen Daneker, 40, of Tacoma, died that Feb. 11. Stan McWhorter, 40, of Lacey, died that Feb. 18.

Two tampered Sudafed packages were found in homes and one was recovered from a store, all in the Tacoma and Olympia areas, during a $17-million nationwide recall by Burroughs Wellcome Co. of Research Triangle Park, N.C. Sudafed eventually was reintroduced as a coated tablet.

Meling and his wife, who separated after the poisonings but reconciled a few months later, both testified in his defense.

Jennifer Meling told the court she still loves her husband, though she felt manipulated, used and abused by both sides in the trial.

“I hope and pray that I made a wise decision in marrying Joe Meling, and I hope and pray that he didn’t do this,” the eighth-grade English teacher testified tearfully.

During three hours of cross-examination by Assistant U.S. Atty. Joanne Y. Maida, Meling, 31, of Tumwater, admitted to lying, an earlier insurance fraud, vindictiveness and verbal abuse. But he steadfastly maintained he did not tamper with the Sudafed.

Juror Karen Armstrong said the jury determined that Meling was “a remorseless liar. That pretty much guided us all the way through.” He came across as too perfect, Armstrong added: “He thought he was bulletproof.”

The prosecution case was largely circumstantial, keyed to the signature of a “Richard Johnson” on a purchase slip for a pound of sodium cyanide. Two handwriting experts testifying for the government said the signature was Meling’s.