'Grim Sleeper' Cops Trying to Taint Jury Pool With Photos, Attorney Charges

Dec. 18, 2010— -- The Los Angeles Police Department has tentatively indentified five of the dozens of women found in photos discovered on the "Grim Sleeper" serial killer's property.

Deputy Chief of Police and Chief of Detectives David R. Doan said that "five people have identified five specific names" from photos posted on the L.A.P.D.'s website. All claims came through their tip hotline.

He said that "three or four of the five at this point" have come forward and said "it was me in the picture."

"We have not confirmed that and we're going to personally interview everyone," Doan said.

All of the photos were found on the property of the suspected "Grim Sleeper" serial killer, Lonnie David Franklin Jr., and police say they hope people will recognize the faces and contact investigators.

Police are investigating all claims called in and entering them into their computer database. Doan said they are now tracking down the people who made the calls, saying that they were turning most of their attention to people calling in to report that someone in one of the photos is a missing person.

"[It's a] hotter lead...if the person has not been seen for a couple of years," Doan said. "They say 'it's me' is not as hot as someone reported missing."

Doan said that all of the 180 images will remain on the L.A.P.D. website for now.

"We'll take them down if we're satisfied that the individual has been possibly identified," he said.

Los Angeles Police homicide detective Dennis Kilcoyne said various area police websites have received over 8 million hits since the photos were made public on Thursday, and the department has recieved hundreds of phone calls.

The photos show women ranging from teenagers to others who look as if they're in their 60s. Some are smiling, others appear to be unconscious.

Click here to view all of the "Grim Sleeper's" victims' photos.

"These people are not suspects," Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said of the photos on Thursday. "We don't even know if they are victims. ... We certainly do not believe that we are so lucky or so good that we know all of the victims. We need the public's help."

Beck also cautioned the public that some of the photos are decades old, and that the women "will have changed, aged."