Former City of Allentown employee Latarsha Brown has admitted to planting a noose on her own desk and falsely reporting it as a hate crime. The incident garnered major public backlash, particularly in the wake of other racial discrimination allegations against senior City officials in recent years.
On January 10, Brown arrived at her office in Allentown City Hall around 7 AM. She called police about 30 minutes later to report an item resembling a noose on her desk.
All other employees on Brown’s floor of the building agreed to DNA testing. Brown, who initially cooperated, refused to provide a DNA swab and later asked for the investigation to be closed. The Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office issued a search warrant to retrieve a DNA sample.
Following an investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police Forensic DNA Division determined that Brown’s DNA was the only profile found on the noose.
Brown appeared in court on Thursday, facing misdemeanor charges of False Reports and Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence.
Brown’s application to the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program for first-time offenders was granted by the judge. She will be required to remain in the program for two years, the maximum amount of time permitted. A fine of $1,985 will also be enforced to pay for the Pennsylvania State Police DNA testing and court fees.
Brown was required to admit to facts of the case in order to qualify for the first-time offender program, including her arrival time and police report time and claims on the day of the incident.
Once Brown has completed the program and paid her fines in full, her criminal record will be expunged.
