Book by Police Chief in Sniper Case Set --- Moose Alert

The Associated Press - ABC News ^ | Sept. 14, 2003

[river rat]

Book by Police Chief in Sniper Case Set Book by Charles Moose, Police Chief in Washington, D.C.-Area Sniper Case, Goes on Sale Monday

The Associated Press

BETHESDA, Md. Sept. 14 — The book that Charles Moose gave up his police job to write reveals little new about the three-week sniper investigation he led, but focuses much on his life, racism, criticism of the media and the ethics controversy over the book itself.

"Three Weeks in October" goes on sale Monday, nearly a year after the Washington, D.C.-area sniper shootings started. The book by Moose, the former Montgomery County police chief, gives an account of the manhunt last year for perpetrators of the sniper shootings. It also describes his North Carolina childhood, his rise through the police ranks and the criticism that followed when he signed a book deal in January with publisher E.P. Dutton.

"It's the story of how I went from being lionized for helping bring the snipers to justice to being vilified for writing a book about it," Moose writes in the introduction to the 319-page book.

Montgomery's ethics panel ruled he couldn't profit off his job as police chief. He filed lawsuits to overturn the decision, but ended up quitting in June, concluding he couldn't keep his job and write the book.

He said he has no regrets about leaving, adding that media coverage of the case helped make the situation in Montgomery County "untenable" for him to stay on.

"I could have turned my back on that option," he said of writing the book, in an interview on Saturday. "But at the same time, it just seemed like the right thing to do."

Moose writes about the segregated school he attended and of seeing his father turned away from a whites-only restaurant. He tells of being shunned by blacks and whites for marrying a white woman. He says he still faces discrimination, even in the health club in his apartment building.

Much of his story describes the time frame in the book's title, when 13 shootings left 10 people dead and alarmed millions in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

When six people were shot in 24 hours starting Oct. 2, Moose and his commanders were dumbfounded. Moose said he thought the shooter was someone having "one hell of a bad day" who would be caught or killed quickly.

But as more people were shot, Moose had to admit that he couldn't give the public the safety it needed.

"People want the police to tell them what to do, that it is going to be OK," he said in an interview. "We couldn't do that. You felt like you were letting everybody down."

He worried for his job as more shootings occurred. When the shootings were over, he apologized to the victims' families for not solving the crimes earlier.

Moose frequently criticizes reporters and news organizations in the book, especially those that reported on leaks from investigators. He says information released about a tarot card left at one shooting scene may have prolonged the spree by cutting off fragile communications with the sniper.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys for sniper suspects Lee Boyd Malvo and John Allen Muhammad have expressed concern about Moose's book being released before their trials this fall, but Moose said he believes his story won't sway potential jurors.

He writes that he has mixed feelings about the possibility that Malvo and Muhammad will face the death penalty. Both are black, a racial group that faces death sentences in disproportionate numbers, Moose writes.

"I don't think there was a lot of cheering in the black community that these guys were going to go on trial in a death penalty state," he said.

Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[river rat]

"He writes that he has mixed feelings about the possibility that Malvo and Muhammad will face the death penalty. Both are black, a racial group that faces death sentences in disproportionate numbers, Moose writes."

"I don't think there was a lot of cheering in the black community that these guys were going to go on trial in a death penalty state," he said.

Further proof of this clymer's inability to think rationally...or without RACE as the central focus.

Semper Fi

[Mulder]

What a freakin' moron.

I believe that a competent prosecutor could make a criminal case out of his botching of the 'drive-by shooter' investigation. A lot of people have gone to jail for far less.

[dead]

Inspector Mooseau, bumbling racist idiot.

[Freedom2specul8]

Another "what's he going to do with the friggin money" ping.. GRRRRR (scuse my french, i mean..well something..we can't say french anymore can we..grin)

[Fred Mertz]

This book needs to be filed under fiction. Moose is a self-centered pawn. I'd like to know how many times the word Muslim appears in his book. Or terrorism for that matter.

[spodefly]

The book that Charles Moose gave up his police job to write reveals little new about the three-week sniper investigation he led, but focuses much on his life, racism, criticism of the media and the ethics controversy over the book itself.

Racism? Like when you falsely identify suspects as white males in a white van, and your blind adeherance to your own racism gets additional people killed? If this POS was not black, he would have been fired for incompetency years ago.

Affirmative Action hire ... nothing more. Moose is a PIG!

[Prince Charles]

The book should be titled "Three Freaks In October."

[tgslTakoma]

Funny thing... Moose's book publisher, E.P. Dutton, is also Al Franken's "Liars..." publisher.

[Travis McGee]

If it was up to Moose, the LEOs would still be looking for his "white man in a white van," while M&M were being waved through roadblocks.

[river rat]

No surprise here...

They're simply attracted to clymers...
Semper Fi

[tgslTakoma]

If my link works, you can submit a question in advance on the Washington Post "Live Online" site, for ex-Chief Moose. He will be the guest tomorrow at 11am.

From the WP page:
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

[tgslTakoma]

Well, the link worked, but my list of names I sent this to shrunk itself to only JVb.

I wasn't singling you out for an assignment, JVb, though I know you would submit a well written and hard-hitting question for the ex-Chief. The more folks who submit intelligent questions, the better our chances that one of them will make it through the "screening." But then the ex-Chief can always decline to answer...

[river rat]

I have family still in Chevy Chase, Bethesda and Olney, MD...(one of my former home areas)
All are/were - long term high level Federal Government Employees...
Totally incapable of logical thought processes...
That should frighten EVERYONE!

Neither would believe my early condemnations of Chief Moose, until even their liberal press finally unloaded on his silly ass..after the truth could not be contained...

Even his subordinates on the Montgomery County Police - have been bringing complaints forward.

If you've missed his silly cow of a wife's pronouncements to the Montgomery County Officials or the press - you've miss a hell of a laugh..

They clearly deserve one another...

Semper Fi

[dixiechick2000]

"He writes that he has mixed feelings about the possibility that Malvo and Muhammad will face the death penalty. Both are black, a racial group that faces death sentences in disproportionate numbers, Moose writes."

I understand his angst. He did everything in his power to make them white.

Now, at least, maybe they can buy some antiques.

[MissAmericanPie]

Is it going to be in the book about how he wouldn't release the license number and real discription of the car?
If someone in the police dept had not sneaked that info to the press those goons would still be shooting people.

I would like to know the tally on how many of those victims died because the information wasn't released to the public.

[kenth]

I wish he would've used up his fifteen minutes all at once. Unfortunately for us, he's doling them out one sad sorry minute at a time...

[river rat]

"Now, at least, maybe they can buy some antiques."

I see you've seen some of the stupid cow's comments.

Wasn't that the most unbelievable justification to "allow" her husband to make a few bucks?

Semper Fi

[river rat]

Those were exactly the questions I submitted to the Washington Post - at the link provided above...

Send some questions....
I'm going to love to see which ones he attempts to answer.

Semper Fi

[connectthedots]

I wonder who actually wrote the book for this illiterate phd who can't seem to string one coherent sentence together. (gammar police can take a pass on this sentence; it was intentional)

[river rat]

At first is was painful, to watch the poor guy embarrass himself in front of the world...

Then, after learning more about the man and his history - I was simply furious that he hadn't been exposed and dealt with earlier...

I believe folks died as a direct result of his incompetence and refusal to accept and release the correct information..

Semper Fi