COLUMBUS – A Lowndes County woman who said she was kidnapped, beaten and shot at in December 2010, was arrested in court for lying about the incident. Paris Easterwood, 18, was taken into custody on March 17 in Columbus Municipal Court and charged with perjury after recanting her December statement.
Officer Terrie Songer, with the Columbus Police Department, said in December, Easterwood told police that on Dec. 30, about 6:09 p.m., she had been shot at twice on 18th Street and 3rd Avenue North.
As a result of Easterwood’s allegations, James Moore, 30, was arrested on Jan. 13 and charged with aggravated assault and kidnapping.
During her testimony in court last week, Easterwood denied ever making those allegations to police and she also denied giving a sworn statement of the facts within the affidavit.
“According to [her], she didn’t make those statements,” Songer said. “She said she didn’t say Moore had kidnapped, beaten or shot at her as prescribed in the report.”
Songer later said Easterwood and Moore were dating at the time of the alleged incident.
Judge Marc Amos presided over the case last week and promptly had Easterwood taken into custody after she perjured herself.
“Time, money, and manpower are wasted when a person files a false crime,” said Columbus Chief of Detectives, Lt. Selvain McQueen. “Citizens are put at risk when police are tied up investigating bogus crimes and we cannot and will not stand for it!”
The charges against Moore were dismissed without prejudice and Easterwood’s bond was set at $5,000 bond. She was released on March 18. Her next court appearance is April 21.
If convicted, Easterwood faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
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