hearing

398Immediately after finding that Olson had leapt to his death, Lashbrooktelephoned Gottlieb at his home and informed him of the incident.4 " Gottlieb called Ruwet and informed him of Olson's deathat approximately 2:45 a.m. 50 Lashbrook then called the hotel deskand reported the incident to the operator there. Lashbrook calledAbramson and informed him of the occurrence. Abramson told Lashbrookhe "wanted to be kept out of the thing completely," but laterchanged his mind and agreed to assist Lashbrook.5'Shortly thereafter, uniformed police officers and some hotel employeescame to Lashbrook's room. Lashbrook told the police he didn'tknow why Olson had committed suicide, but he did know that Olson"suffered from ulcers." 65e. The Aftermath.-Following Dr. Olson's death, the CIA madea substantial effort to ensure that his family received death benefits,but did not notify the Olsons of the circumstances surrounding hisdemise. The Agency also made considerable efforts to prevent thedeath being connected with the CIA, and supplied complete cover forLashbrook so that his association with the CIA would remain a secret.After Dr. Olson's death the CIA conducted an internal investigationof the incident. As part of his responsibilities in this investigation,the General Counsel wrote the Inspector General, stating:I'm not happy with what seems to be a very casual attitudeon the part of TSS representatives to the way this experimentwas conducted and the remarks that this is just one ofthe risks running with scientific experimentation. I do noteliminate the need for taking risks, but I do believe, especiallywhen human health or life is at stake, that at least theprudent, reasonable measures which can be taken to mini-. mize the risk must be taken and failure to do so was culpablenegligence. The actions of the various individuals concernedafter effects of the experiment on Dr. Olson became manifestalso revealed the failure to observe normal and reasonableprecautions."As a result of the investigation DCI Allen Dulles sent a personalletter to the Chief of Technical Oneiations of the Technical ServicesStaff who had approved the experiment criticizing him for "poorjudgment... in authorizing the use of this drug on such an unwittingbasis and without proximate medical safeguards." 54 Dulles also senta letter to Dr. Gotilieb, Chief of the Chemical Division of the TechifiicalServices Staff, criticizing him for recommending the "unwittingapplication of the drug" in that the proposal "did not give sufficientemphasis for medical collaboration and for the proper considerationof the rights of the individual to whom it was being administered."CTA Field Office Report, 12/3/53, p. 3.Ruwet Memorandum, p. 11.CIA Field Office Report, 12/3/53, p. 3.Z2 Ibid.Memorandum from the General Counsel to the Inspector General. 1/4/54." Memorandum from DCI to Chief, Technical Opeiutions, TSS, 2/12/54.7 Memorandum from DCI to Sidney Gottlieb, 2/12/54.