Lakewood Cop Murder – Witness Takes Back Statement To Police

A woman who told police last winter that she heard a suspected cop killer admit he had fatally shot a Lakewood police officer now says that was a lie.

Angel Howard testified Wednesday that Jahmell Crockam came to her Camden apartment on Jan. 14, 2011 -- the same evening Patrolman Christopher Matlosz was killed at the wheel of his patrol car.

In a statement to investigators in December 2011, Howard had said she overheard Crockam tell her boyfriend that he had shot and killed the officer.

But during court testimony Wednesday, she admitted that was not true. Under cross examination from Crockam's defense lawyer, Howard said she was still worried about being charged in the case and told detectives what she thought they wanted to hear.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)