"Hatfill v. Ashcroft"
When was the case settled?
Person of interest
The use of the term became widely critiqued when United States Attorney General John Ashcroft used it in a press conference when asked if Dr. Steven J. Hatfill was a suspect in the 2001 anthrax attacks case. In 2002, Hatfill's attorney filed a complaint with the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility, arguing that "the term is not recognized in law or criminal procedure and that Ashcroft did not have the right 'to preside over the public shredding of life. This is un-American. Mr. Ashcroft owes Dr. Hatfill an apology. The case was settled in 2008 for $5.8 million.