Alabama lawmakers strengthen penalties for falsely reporting a crime after Carlee Russell kidnapping hoax
Fox News
A bill increasing penalties for falsely reporting a crime to law enforcement is heading to the desk of Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey after it passed the Senate by a 32-0 vote on Wednesday.
Many in the state called for harsher penalties for making a false police report after Carlee Russell faked her own kidnapping off Interstate 459 in the city of Hoover last summer – a case that drew national attention.
Falsely reporting a crime to authorities is a Class A misdemeanor in Alabama, but the legislation, if signed by Ivey, will make the crime a felony if it "alleges imminent danger to a person or the public."
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