Heidi Jones, TV Weather Girl, Admits to Lying about Assaults
Heidi Jones, a TV meteorologist for New York and Texas stations who also worked on ABC's Good Morning America, admitted that police reports she filed last year about being repeatedly attacked by a man in New York City were lies.
Jones, who said she made the claims to bring attention to herself, pleaded guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor false-reporting charges for the claims, The Associated Press reported.
I made it up for attention. I have so much stress at work, with my personal life and with my family, she said, according to a court document.
After an intensive police hunt last winter for her alleged attacker, she admitted on Dec. 13 to a detective that she had lied and was arrested.
Under terms of her plea deal, Jones will be on probation for three years, must continue psychiatric counseling and perform 350 hours of community service -- the amount of time police spent hunting for her alleged attacker. Sentencing is set for Oct. 26.
Her lawyer, Paul F. Callan, said his client wanted to take responsibility and to express her deepest regret and her apologies for any inconvenience that was caused.
Callan said that since her arrest Jones has been unemployed and struggling financially and has had to give up her former apartment.
Hopefully, this resolution today will make it possible for her to move on with her life and to make amends, Callan added. She's paid a high price for the crimes she pleaded guilty to, he told The Associated Press.
She anchored weekend evening weather coverage for some five years at New York's WABC-TV, worked at KTRK-TV in Houston and also worked in Albany, N.Y.
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