This local NBC affiliate reported the lie. The implications can be expanded to regard as suspicious all such sensational claims that the media grabs and pushes, including the many reports of "hangman's nooses" on trees and other places, which become national news FOR A POLITICAL AGENDA. All of these must be looked into carefully before reaching a verdict, based upon the laws of "innocent until proven guilty" and evidence. This shows that it is very possible to stir up racial, religious or political strife through the planting of fake evidence it what could be called "false-flag" attacks--i.e. acts committed by the victim or another party intended to cast blame and prosecutorial powers, or social rage, against another party to fulfill an agenda.

This is also a microcosm example of what happened in both 9/11 and the Anthrax attacks which blame was cast by spurious and probably planted evidence to blame "radical Islamic fundamentalists" or "Arabs" without a shred of clear evidence.