Posted on 10/18/2002 3:16:29 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
Police in Fairfax County, Va., arrested a man today and charged him with filing a false police report about Monday's sniper shooting.
Matthew Dowdy of Falls Church, Va., lied in claiming he saw a cream-colored van with a burned-out taillight at the crime scene, police said.
'15 Minutes'
One law-enforcement source described Dowdy, 38, as an ex-convict "who just lied to get his 15 minutes of fame,” MSNBC reported.
Charles Moose, police chief of Montgomery County, Md., said he hoped the incident would not keep others from contacting police.
"We still need people to come forward,” Moose said. "We don’t want other people to feel like this is about an effort by the police to credit or discredit them.”
Authorities say Dowdy was inside the Home Depot in Falls Church, Va., at the time of the shooting and never saw who killed FBI cyberterrorism analyst Linda Franklin.
"He couldn't see what he said he saw," said Fairfax County Prosecutor Robert F. Horan Jr.
So is that not reliable either?
You can strike out the "Ex".
In the future, all witnesses are to bring their credit reports, background checks, breathalizer results, and local clergy with them when offering witness information. It's not like the police should be smart enough to sort through the accuracy in your statement. Obviously the dumbed down self esteem bunch has taken control of the police.
I had been giving Chief Moose a break, but after hearing him today I think he should stay at home.
Just a technicality but the guy did not file a false police report. He (may) have made a false statement. He may be saying things they don't want to have heard. Time will tell.
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