Police chief slams station for report
The police chief overseeing the investigation of recent sniper shootings in
the Washington, D.C., area blasted the news media for its coverage of the local
crisis and Gannett Co. Inc.-owned WUSA(TV) in particular for revealing a clue in the
investigation.
"Do you want the police to work this case, or do you want Channel 9 to do it?"
asked a clearly angry Charles Moose, chief of police in Montgomery County, Md.
Moose was referring to WUSA's report that a tarot card, used in fortune-telling,
had been found in woods near the Prince George's County, Md., shooting of a
13-year-old schoolboy. The taunting message, confirmed by police to WUSA, read:
"Dear policeman, I am God."
Moose said commenting further on the investigation could "hinder our ability
to bring this person or these people into custody." Asked during a press
briefing Wednesday morning about the tarot card, Moose said, "If you want
Channel 9 . if you want The Washington Post . if you want CNN [Cable News Network] to conduct
this investigation, let me know."
WUSA said it stood behind veteran reporter Mike Buchanan and his
story.
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