The St. Charles Parish Courthouse reopens Tuesday for normal business after authorities evacuated the building when a judge's staff member opened an envelope and a white, flakey substance was found.
The sheriff's office said staff in Judge Lauren Lemmon's office received the envelope from an inmate at about 10:37 a.m. Tuesday. The evacuation was ordered as a precaution and the sheriff's office was notified.
Further investigation revealed that the inmate mailed two legal documents, one to Lemmon and the second to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Because the inmate had just one large envelope, he cut the envelope in half and sealed the one sent to Lemmon with toothpaste as glue.
The Louisiana State Police and FBI tested the substance and found no health threat.
Photio courtesy http://vuurkairos.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/gay-marriage-ban-goes-on-trial/