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<\/p>\nALLENTOWN, Pa. \u2014 An Allentown employee is facing charges after authorities alleged she placed a noose on her own desk, sparking an investigation into what many called a hate crime.<\/p>\n
LaTarsha Brown, 42, was charged Monday with making false reports and tampering with or fabricating evidence, according to Lehigh County court documents.<\/p>\n
“Every employee agreed \u2014 except for Ms. Brown.” <\/p>\n
Allentown Police Capt. Steve Milkovits, at a news conference at City Hall<\/p>\n
Brown, who also is an Allentown School Board member, two months ago reported finding a noose at her desk on the third floor of City Hall.<\/p>\n
Allentown police reviewed surveillance footage and access records from the time Brown left work Jan. 9 and returned Jan. 10; and officers interviewed all employees who were in the office during that period and requested DNA samples, Capt. Steve Milkovits said Monday at a news conference at City Hall. <\/p>\n
“Every employee agreed \u2014 except for Ms. Brown,” he said. <\/p>\n
A judge on Jan. 24 approved a search warrant for police to collect her DNA.<\/p>\n
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Jason Addy<\/p>\n
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LehighValleyNews.com<\/p>\n
Allentown Police Capt. Steve Milkovits speaks Monday, March 24, about an investigation into a noose at City Hall — a probe that led to charges against LaTarsha Brown, the employee who reported finding it on her desk. <\/p>\n
The Pennsylvania State Police Forensic DNA Division on March 10 issued a report that said Brown’s DNA matched DNA collected from the noose, Milkovits said. <\/p>\n
Its analysis found Brown’s DNA profile matched samples obtained from the outer surfaces of the noose and the inner knotted portions, according to an affidavit of probable cause. <\/p>\n
Authorities also collected DNA samples from nine other city employees who work on the third floor and who could have put the item on Brown’s desk, the affidavit says.<\/p>\n
Their DNA profiles were not found on the noose, authorities said.<\/p>\n
Brown did not immediately respond to a message from LehighValleyNews.com seeking comment.<\/p>\n
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Distributed<\/p>\n
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City of Allentown<\/p>\n
The noose reported on the desk of Allentown City employee LaTarsha Brown.<\/p>\n
Authorities released a photo of the noose, which appears to be just a few inches long and resting atop a closed laptop on Brown’s desk.<\/p>\n
‘At a breaking point’<\/p>\n
Brown called police about 7:30 a.m. Jan. 10 to report \u201can item resembling a noose” on her desk, court documents state.<\/p>\n
She told police she didn\u2019t immediately recognize the item, so she picked it up and took a picture to use in an online search.<\/p>\n
Authorities were unable to find such a search in her search history, according to court documents.<\/p>\n
Brown had emailed her bosses Jan. 9 \u2014 the day before the noose was found \u2014 to request a mediation meeting to resolve her complaints of discrimination against a coworker, court documents state.<\/p>\n
After reporting the noose, she sent another email telling city officials she was \u201cat a breaking point,\u201d according to court records.<\/p>\n