The Tylenol Mafia (64 page)

Brennan had joined Sears: Burns, Greg.
“Bernard Brennan, minding the store.”
Chicago Sun-Times
, March 13, 1988.

Edward Brennan was chairman:
 
Story, Louise. “Edward Brennan, Who Led Sears at Its Peak, Dies at 73.”
The New York Time
, January 1, 2008.

In 1982,
Sav
-A-Stop route sales persons: Resume of James
Bombeck
,
Sav
-A-Stop DSD Sales person 1981-1985.

On September 10, 1982, Chicago-based Consolidated:
 
“Acquisitions of Securities.”
SEC News Digest
; Issue 82-55: March 23, 1982.

Shortly after the deal closed, Stephen
Pistner
:
 
Barmash
,
Isadore
.
“Mobil Names Ward Executive.”
The New York Times
, September 9, 1982.

Spokespersons for J&J and the FDA:
 
Beck, Melinda; Hagar, Mary;
LaBreque
, Ron; Monroe, Sylvester;
Prout
, Linda.
“The Tylenol Scare.”
Newsweek
, October 11, 1982. – Associated Press. “Cyanide Madman Sought.”
The Titusville Herald
, October 2, 1982. -- Associated Press. “Sixth Victim Claimed By Cyanide Pills.”
Bedford Gazette
, October 2, 1982.

On June 28, 2001:
 
FDA.
“FDA Witnesses Destruction of Drug Products.”
FDA website.
June 28, 2001.
Accessed July 1, 2011.
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/EnforcementStory/EnforcementStoryArchive/ucm107058.htm

J&J spokesperson, Robert Kniffin, said the Tylenol from Lot MC2880:
Associated Press. “Cyanide found in another Tylenol batch.”
The Paris News
, October 1, 1982.

Larry Foster said the bottles of poisoned Tylenol
:
 
Madrzyk
, Anna; Gores, Paul.
 
“Cyanide Killer Search Widens.”
The Sunday Herald
, October 3, 1982.

Jane Armstrong, the Vice President:
 
Nenni
, Pete; Van
Wye
, Joann.
 
“5 dead after taking Tylenol capsules filled with cyanide.”
The Daily Herald
, October 1, 1982.

On October 8
^th
, Armstrong was asked: Malcolm, Andrew H. “Wyoming cyanide death investigated.”
The New York Ti
mes, October 9, 1982.

14
           
The Vanishing Evidence

The local Arlington Heights-based newspaper,
The Daily Herald
, accurately reported:
Madrzyk
, Anna; Gores, Paul.
 
“Cyanide Killer Search Widens.”
The Sunday Herald
, October 3, 1982.

The
New York Times
also reported:
 
Malcolm, Andrew H. “Search for the Tylenol Killer: Many Clues, But No Solution.”
New York Times
, October 10, 1982.

Fahner said these bottles would be “particularly helpful”:
 
Madrzyk
, Anna; Gores, Paul.
 
“Cyanide Killer Search Widens.”
The Sunday Herald
, October 3, 1982.

Then, on Friday night, an FDA: Associated Press. “7th Chicago-area death blamed on poisoned drug.”
The News
, October 2, 1982.

On Saturday, the story changed a little more: Associated Press.
“Madman’s Plot Suspected; More Tainted Tylenol Found.”
The News Record
, October 2, 1982. --
Litke
, James; Associated Press.
“Poisoning done in killer's home.”
The Gettysburg Times
, October 4, 1982.

WMAQ-TV, the NBC affiliate:
10 p.m. News
. WMAQ-TV, NBC, October 1, 1982. --
Duerksen
, Susan. “6th poison victim dies; 2 more believed linked with Tylenol.”
The Daily Herald
, October 2, 1982.

Sergeant David Burrows: Associated Press. “Officials report some leads in cyanide case.”
The Paris News
, October 4, 1982.

Reporters spotted FBI agents
: Malcolm, Andrew H. “Cyanide Case Focuses on Find in Parking Lot at All-night Restaurant.”
The New York Times
, October 5, 1982.
 

 
“I wish you guys”: Gores, Paul. “Poisonings draw top coverage.”
The Daily Herald,
October 7, 1982.

The boxes “said Tylenol”:
 
Associated Press. “Officials report some leads in cyanide case.”
The Paris News
, October 4, 1982.

 
“We just blew it off”:
 
Wolfe, John. “‘We should have known.’”
Pacific Stars and Stripes
, October 12, 1982.

 
“It was evident they”:
 
Associated Press. “Officials report some leads in cyanide case.”
The Paris News
, October 4, 1982.

 
“The symptoms reported”:
 
Associated Press. “Officials report some leads in cyanide case.”
The Paris News
, October 4, 1982.

 
“I was stupid”:
 
Wolfe, John. “‘We should have known.’”
Pacific Stars and Stripes
, October 12, 1982.

“It looked like hundreds of capsules”: Malcolm, Andrew H. “Cyanide Case Focuses on Find in Parking Lot at All-night Restaurant.”
The New York Times
, October 5, 1982.
 

 
“That appears to be a total washout”:
 
Nelson,
Debbe
. “Back room supplies of Tylenol hit.”
The Daily Herald
, October 5, 1982.

“
the
medical people”:
 
Litke
, James; Associated Press.
“Poisoning done in killer's home.”
The Gettysburg Times
, October 4, 1982.

Now, on Monday night, Fahner said investigators were “reasonably certain”: Dowling, John. “Cyanide Murders Hunt Has Dozen Suspects.”
Ironwood Daily Globe,
Oct. 5, 1982.

“
consistent
with a sub-lethal”:
 
Associated Press. “Officials report some leads in cyanide case.”
The Paris News
, October 4, 1982.

 
“
can
go right through the skin”:
 
Daniel, Leon. “More than one killer may have spiked Tylenol.”
The Hutchinson News
, October 4, 1982.

The Maalox diversion scheme:
 
Hecht, Annabel. “The Maalox had wanderlust (drug investigation)”
FDA Consumer
, March 1, 1985.

15
           
A Reluctant Recall

James Burke, Wayne Nelson
:
Fannin
, Rebecca. “Tylenol: diary if an amazing comeback.”
TIME,
March 22, 1983. –
Georgescu
, Peter.
The Source of Success
.
San Francisco:
Jossey
Bass, 2005.

 
“
The FBI didn’t want us to do
it
”:
 
Moore, Thomas.
“The Fight to Save Tylenol.”
TIME,
November 29, 1982.

Burke’s suggestion that he
:
“Tylenol’s “Miracle” Comeback: A year after the poisonings, public confidence is restored.”
Time,
October 17, 1983 -- David Berg and Stephen Robb.
“Crisis Management and the ‘Paradigm Case,’” in
Rhetorical and Critical Approaches to Public Relations
, ed.
Toth
, Elizabeth.
Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1992, pg. 92-107.

Police said that Lynn Reiner’s:
 
Associated Press. “Search pressed for clues in poisonings.”
The Frederick Post
, October 4, 1982.

The cyanide-laced Tylenol that killed Paula Prince
:
 
Associated Press. “Byrne bans sale of all Tylenol in the big city.”
Sunday Roswell Daily Record
, October 3, 1982.

Authorities had also found cyanide in Tylenol capsules
:
 
Duerksen
, Susan. “6th poison victim dies; 2 more believed linked with Tylenol.”
The Daily Herald
, October 1, 1982.

Strychnine-laced Tylenol capsules from yet another lot
:
 
Dowling, John. “Strychnine-laced Tylenol found in California.”
 
The Sequin Gazette-Enterprise
, October 6, 1982.

By the end of the second day of the investigation, authorities had recovered poisoned Tylenol capsules from seven different lots:
Associated Press. “Tylenol Investigation Continues.”
Bedford Gazette
, October 4, 1982.

James Burke and Wayne Nelson were in their second day:
 
Church, George J.; Griggs, Lee;
Zagorin
, Adam “Murder by Remote Control.”
TIME
, October 18, 1982.

 
“I displayed strange”:
 
Dowling, John. “Strychnine-laced Tylenol found in California.”
The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise
, October 6, 1982.

His wife, Terry: Dowling, John. “Strychnine-laced Tylenol found in California.”
 
The Sequin Gazette-Enterprise
, October 6, 1982.

Ronald
Tossano
, the Manager of the Longs:
Nightly News
. NBC, October 5, 1982.

The FDA had not:
 
Associated Press. “Strychnine-tainted Tylenol found”.
Galveston Daily News
, October 8, 1982.

Larry Foster said:
 
Associated Press. “Strychnine-tainted Tylenol found”.
Galveston Daily News
, October 8, 1982.

As it turned out:
 
Church, George J.; Griggs, Lee;
Zagorin
, Adam “Murder by Remote Control.”
TIME
, October 18, 1982.

Officials in California were:
 
Associated Press.
“Tylenol victim quizzed by lie detector test.”
Gazette
, October 14, 1982.

FBI Special Agent, Ray:
 
Associated Press.
“Probe of ‘copycat’ Tylenol case ends.”
 
The Register
, November 27, 1982.

In September 1984, Greg Blagg:
 
Register News Service. “Tylenol-scare figure charged with arson.”
The Register
, September 17, 1984.

After the Oroville tampering:
 
Dowling, John. “Strychnine-laced Tylenol found in California.”
The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise
, October 6, 1982.

 
“In conjunction with”:
 
United Press International.
“Over the Counter Pill Sales Dropping
.”
 
The Progress
, October 6, 1982.

It has been widely reported: Moore, Thomas.
“The Fight to Save Tylenol.”
TIME
, November 29, 1982.
– “Tylenol's “Miracle” Comeback: A year after the poisonings, public confidence is restored.”
Time,
October 17, 1983. -- Ryan, Nancy; O’Brien. “‘
82 Tylenol Fallout
Still Tampers With Our Minds.”
Chicago Tribune
, September 28, 1992. -- Kaplan, Tamara. “The Tylenol Crisis: How Effective Public Relations Saved Johnson & Johnson.” Pennsylvania State University, November 2003.

However, two days after initiating the nationwide recall: Associated Press: “Extortion plot not likely in Tylenol case.”
The Iola Register
, October 9, 1982.