(AP) A Hartford man has been charged with two misdemeanors for allegedly staging his own shooting, which put him in the hospital, to get sympathy from family members.
Charles Gregory Hatcher was indicted by a Geneva County grand jury on charges of obstruction of justice and giving false information to law enforcement officers, both Class A misdemeanors. He turned himself into the Geneva County Jail last week and was released on $1,500 bond.
Police found Hatcher in a cotton field with a bullet wound on his back and another on the back of his leg on Dec. 3. He spent several days in the hospital.
Hartford Police chose not to prosecute the case, but the grand jury indicted him anyway, Geneva County District Attorney Kirke Adams said.
"The purpose of this prosecution is to recover money for the Geneva County Sheriff's Office for the lost man hours they spent on this case," Adams said. "They (grand jurors) chose not to close their case, but to continue their investigation to find the truth."
Adams said Hatcher threatened an employee with firing if he didn't shoot him. Hartford Police Chief Nick Finer has said Hatcher staged the shooting to gain sympathy from family members.
02-12-2008, 08:43 PM
Man Charged In Staged Sympathy Shooting
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