This article is 1994- The Commercial Appeal
The Commercial Appeal
Witness accuser says police ignore fraud
Date: March 13, 1994 Section: Metro Page: B1 Source: Marc Perrusquia The Commercial Appeal Edition: Final
A woman involved in a dispute with a prosecution witness in the West Memphis triple-murder case asserted last week that police have been unresponsive to criminal allegations she filed against the witness last year. West Memphis authorities filed bad check charges last May against Christy Shawn Anderson but dropped the charges in July after a police handwriting sample indicated she didn't write the checks, records show.
Anderson, 19, said she then filed a complaint alleging check forgery against Victoria Hutcheson, 30, who played a role in a police investigation that led to the arrests of three teenagers charged with murdering three 8-year-old West Memphis boys.
Anderson maintains Hutcheson took her checkbook and forged her name onto numerous checks. Hutcheson denied any wrongdoing. She told a reporter that she also passed a police handwriting analysis last July.
But Anderson's mother, Debbie, said she doesn't understand why police have not acted. The elder Anderson last week gave a reporter photocopies of 12 checks totaling $445 written between May 4 and June 3 that she claimed had been forged by Hutcheson.
``If you had seen how emotionally upset my daughter was and how afraid I was she going to be thrown in jail for something she didn't do,'' said the elder Anderson, 36, a school bus driver and elementary school teacher's aide in Hickory Ridge, Ark.
``I just don't understand how she (Hutcheson) is getting away with it. The woman just walks scot-free.''
West Memphis officials have declined to release records or discuss details. In answer to a Freedom of Information request filed by The Commercial Appeal, City Atty. David Peeples confirmed that police received a complaint from Christy Anderson, but he declined to discuss the nature of the complaint.
Peeples said there is an ``ongoing investigation,'' and no records will be released.
The controversy surfaces as new details are made public about the depth of Hutcheson's role last year in a police investigation into the murders of second-graders Christopher Byers, Steve Branch and Michael Moore.
On Thursday, during the eighth day of testimony in the murder trial of Damien Wayne Echols, 19, and Charles Jason Baldwin, 16, West Memphis police Insp. Gary Gitchell testified police wired Hutcheson's trailer home for sound before the arrests.
Gitchell told jurors in Jonesboro, Ark., that police hoped the wire would provide more information on Echols, who had visited Hutcheson's trailer, south of Marion, Ark.
Hutcheson testified during the Jessie Misskelley trial that she ``played detective'' between the May 5 murders and June 3 arrests and lured Echols to her home with books on the occult, then later attended a satanic cult meeting with Echols and Misskelley.
Hutcheson also testified that Misskelley, 18, stayed at her trailer the night before his arrest. Misskelley was sentenced last month to life plus 40 years after a jury found he had a role in the killings.
Police also have said Hutcheson's 8-year-old son, Aaron, helped their investigation by witnessing ``cult'' activities and identifying the three defendants, but they have provided few details.
Christy Anderson and Hutcheson were related by marriage and briefly roomed together last year.
West Memphis Municipal Court records show that officials originally charged Christy Anderson with four misdemeanor counts of writing hot checks but dismissed the charges in July after she passed a handwriting analysis.
Debbie Anderson said she and her daughter filed a complaint in July, asserting Hutcheson forged the checks. Forgery is a felony in Arkansas. Debbie Anderson said she went back to the police station a second time to learn what police were doing about their claim but said she was told Gitchell was handling the matter.
Gitchell told a reporter Wednesday that he was not familiar with the case and that no deals had been arranged not to prosecute Hutcheson in exchange for her testimony. Deputy Pros. Atty. John Fogleman also said he was aware of no deals for Hutcheson.
The Commercial Appeal
Witness accuser says police ignore fraud
Date: March 13, 1994 Section: Metro Page: B1 Source: Marc Perrusquia The Commercial Appeal Edition: Final
A woman involved in a dispute with a prosecution witness in the West Memphis triple-murder case asserted last week that police have been unresponsive to criminal allegations she filed against the witness last year. West Memphis authorities filed bad check charges last May against Christy Shawn Anderson but dropped the charges in July after a police handwriting sample indicated she didn't write the checks, records show.
Anderson, 19, said she then filed a complaint alleging check forgery against Victoria Hutcheson, 30, who played a role in a police investigation that led to the arrests of three teenagers charged with murdering three 8-year-old West Memphis boys.
Anderson maintains Hutcheson took her checkbook and forged her name onto numerous checks. Hutcheson denied any wrongdoing. She told a reporter that she also passed a police handwriting analysis last July.
But Anderson's mother, Debbie, said she doesn't understand why police have not acted. The elder Anderson last week gave a reporter photocopies of 12 checks totaling $445 written between May 4 and June 3 that she claimed had been forged by Hutcheson.
``If you had seen how emotionally upset my daughter was and how afraid I was she going to be thrown in jail for something she didn't do,'' said the elder Anderson, 36, a school bus driver and elementary school teacher's aide in Hickory Ridge, Ark.
``I just don't understand how she (Hutcheson) is getting away with it. The woman just walks scot-free.''
West Memphis officials have declined to release records or discuss details. In answer to a Freedom of Information request filed by The Commercial Appeal, City Atty. David Peeples confirmed that police received a complaint from Christy Anderson, but he declined to discuss the nature of the complaint.
Peeples said there is an ``ongoing investigation,'' and no records will be released.
The controversy surfaces as new details are made public about the depth of Hutcheson's role last year in a police investigation into the murders of second-graders Christopher Byers, Steve Branch and Michael Moore.
On Thursday, during the eighth day of testimony in the murder trial of Damien Wayne Echols, 19, and Charles Jason Baldwin, 16, West Memphis police Insp. Gary Gitchell testified police wired Hutcheson's trailer home for sound before the arrests.
Gitchell told jurors in Jonesboro, Ark., that police hoped the wire would provide more information on Echols, who had visited Hutcheson's trailer, south of Marion, Ark.
Hutcheson testified during the Jessie Misskelley trial that she ``played detective'' between the May 5 murders and June 3 arrests and lured Echols to her home with books on the occult, then later attended a satanic cult meeting with Echols and Misskelley.
Hutcheson also testified that Misskelley, 18, stayed at her trailer the night before his arrest. Misskelley was sentenced last month to life plus 40 years after a jury found he had a role in the killings.
Police also have said Hutcheson's 8-year-old son, Aaron, helped their investigation by witnessing ``cult'' activities and identifying the three defendants, but they have provided few details.
Christy Anderson and Hutcheson were related by marriage and briefly roomed together last year.
West Memphis Municipal Court records show that officials originally charged Christy Anderson with four misdemeanor counts of writing hot checks but dismissed the charges in July after she passed a handwriting analysis.
Debbie Anderson said she and her daughter filed a complaint in July, asserting Hutcheson forged the checks. Forgery is a felony in Arkansas. Debbie Anderson said she went back to the police station a second time to learn what police were doing about their claim but said she was told Gitchell was handling the matter.
Gitchell told a reporter Wednesday that he was not familiar with the case and that no deals had been arranged not to prosecute Hutcheson in exchange for her testimony. Deputy Pros. Atty. John Fogleman also said he was aware of no deals for Hutcheson.
