Hearing for alleged ricin maker postponed

The preliminary hearing for Nicholas Helman, the Hatboro man accused of sending a scratch-and-sniff birthday card laced with ricin to his ex-girlfriend's new beau, has been postponed until May 15.

The hearing was originally scheduled for Thursday.

Authorities said yesterday that a vial found beneath a gas manhole cover near Helman's Byberry Road apartment - believed to be his leftover stash of ricin - did, indeed, test positive for the toxin.

Helman, 19, was charged with attempted murder last week.

Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler said at the time that Helman "knew what he was doing" and that if the ricin had been properly applied to the card, it "would have killed a whole bunch of people."

Helman is being held without bail at Bucks County Prison.