An Allentown city employee claimed she found a noose at her desk—until DNA evidence told a different story.
Latarsha Brown (Allentown School District)
An Allentown city employee claimed she found a noose at her desk—until DNA evidence told a different story.
A city worker in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is facing charges after police say she staged a fake hate crime by placing a noose at her own desk—an allegation that has left local officials stunned and a friend crying foul.
LaTarsha Brown, an employee at Allentown City Hall, was charged Monday after investigators determined the only DNA on the noose was hers, authorities said. Brown originally reported discovering the noose on her desk when she arrived at work on Jan. 10, a revelation that sparked an investigation and even a community protest.
At the time, City Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach was outraged, calling it a “hate crime” and declaring herself “irate” over the incident, according to The Morning Call.
Investigators took the case seriously, asking every employee who could have accessed Brown’s desk to submit DNA samples, according to Capt. Steve Milkovits.
“Every employee agreed, except for Ms. Brown,” Milkovits revealed in a press conference streamed by Fox 29. “Initially cooperative, Ms. Brown requested that the investigation be discontinued.”
That request was denied. Authorities obtained Brown’s DNA via a court order, and the results were damning: a match to the inner knotted portion and outer surface of the noose. She also allegedly gave “vague statements and deceptive answers” during the investigation, according to an affidavit obtained by The Morning Call.
Brown now faces misdemeanor charges of making a false report and tampering with evidence.
Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk did not mince words when reacting to the case. “It’s doubly shocking that an employee would—that she would have fabricated this incident,” he told reporters.
What motive Brown may have had remains a mystery, as police declined to speculate. Meanwhile, Brown, who also serves on the Allentown School District school board, has at least one vocal defender.
Community organizer Josie Lopez insists the charges are nothing more than retaliation. Speaking to CBS Philadelphia, Lopez claimed Brown had admitted to touching the noose—but was not responsible for planting it.
“This is not just an attack on LaTarsha. This is a warning to anyone in Allentown who dares to stand up against injustice,” Lopez declared. “This is a smear campaign. This is retaliation.”
She added, “We will not be silent.”
For now, Brown’s silence on the case may be the only thing keeping her out of further trouble.
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