"Tearful dad" with history of crime, threats claims he's being painted as "bad guy" in daughter's disappearance (Detroit, Michigan)

Crocodile tears much? Of course not. Daddy's just as blameless as the driven snow....(cough, cough).

Dad is identified as D'ANDRE LANE.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20111206/METRO/112060395/1361/Death-threats-aimed-at-dad-of-missing-Detroit-girl--attorney-says


Tearful dad of missing girl: I'm being painted as 'bad guy'

George Hunter and Mike Martindale/ The Detroit News

Detroit— D'Andre Lane, father of missing 2-year-old Bianca Jones, tearfully denied any involvement with the disappearance of his daughter, and said he is being painted by the police and media as "the bad guy."

During a press conference at a west-side attorney's office, Lane broke down in tears while describing his anguish over his daughter's disappearance, and the public perception that he had something to do with it.

"This is unfair," Lane said. "I'm the bad guy right now. But I don't care what people say; if my baby comes home, it won't even matter."

Lane was barred from contacting his ex-wife after she accused him of threatening their 2-year-old son, according to a personal protection order filed in Oakland Circuit Court earlier this year.

But his attorney, Terry L. Johnson, said the protection order was "false."

"As everyone knows, in order to get a PPO, you have to check a box that says there was a threat," Johnson said.

Police continued Tuesday to search for Bianca, who was reported missing by her father Friday morning. Lane told police he was carjacked just before 10 a.m. on the city's east side by two men at gunpoint, who took his 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis with Bianca inside. Police found the car a few minutes after responding to the call, but the little girl was gone.

A police source told The News that Lane appeared to be cooperative during the early stages of the investigation, but that he stopped Monday after hiring an attorney. "He lawyered up and quit talking," the source said.

Johnson said the opposite is true. "They're not cooperating with us," he said.

Lane said he felt like he was a suspect when he overheard two police officers talking while he was being questioned. "I heard them say, 'Oh, he has a criminal record,' as if that means I must have something to do with this."

Lane, who was released from prison in 2009 after serving two years on gun and drug charges, was held by police for violating a personal protection order but was released Monday afternoon from the Oakland County Jail after a hearing before Oakland Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews, who ordered him to take anger management classes, Johnson said. He would not comment on the alleged violation of the protection order.

The protection order, which was filed March 10, 2011, by Lane's ex-wife claimed that Lane threatened their 2-year-old son. A box was checked off on the protection form, indicating that Lane "threatened to kill or injure" their son. Lane's ex-wife also claimed he stalked her with constant phone calls, text messages and Facebook postings.

The protection order was to remain in effect until March 31, 2012.

Responding to reports that he was abusive to his other children, Lane, whose attorney said he has seven children by seven different women, denied any wrongdoing.

"When you take a 7-year-old and lock her in a room," he said before trailing off. "My daughter does not need to be subjected to people making her father out to be a villain.

"I'm not the villain — whoever has my daughter is the villain," Lane said. "Bring some proof out. I never threatened any of my children."

Lane said he has received death threats because of the public's perception that he had something to do with his daughter's disappearance.

"I've advised him to stay inside," Johnson said. "He wants to go out, but I told him it's not a good idea for two reasons: One, every step he takes will be focused on, and the focus should be on finding his daughter. Second, there's a safety concern. He's getting death threats because of the information that's coming out about him not cooperating with the investigation."

When Lane was in police custody, the FBI flew in a polygrapher to administer a lie detector test. A police source told The News Lane scored poorly when asked two specific questions during a failed test: "Did you have anything to do with her disappearance?" and "Do you know where she is now?"

Johnson said the test was administered improperly. "When you take someone who is under stress … that's not how to give that test," Johnson said. "He had just been carjacked and his daughter was missing."

Police searched Lane's home on Mitchell Street three times, confiscating several items. "I was told they took his laptop, some flash drives and the sheets from his daughter's bed," Johnson said.

During their investigation, police obtained surveillance camera footage to try to corroborate Lane's carjacking report, sources said. Lane is seen on a school surveillance tape dropping off a 15-year-old nephew at approximately 8:10 a.m. Friday. Police interviewed the nephew, who said Bianca was in the car when he arrived at school.

A girl, 7, was interviewed, too, but the News source said she was so upset, investigators decided to temporarily back off.

Investigators also have interviewed at least two witnesses who reported seeing Lane between 8 a.m. and when he reported his daughter missing .

One witness reported seeing Lane running from the scene of the carjacking. Lane reportedly was carrying a firearm, according to the source.

Johnson said the leaked reports are painting a false picture of his client.

"We think the police should focus on getting the child back, as opposed to trying to unfairly create a bad taste in the public's mouth regarding D'Andre Lane," Johnson said.

Johnson also said the most recent search of Lane's home, in which police went in with guns drawn, was unnecessarily aggressive.

"The police went in with their guns out, kicking doors down; that's great TV, but my client consented for them to go into his house," Johnson said.