BOSTON, Mass. — Whosarat.com is running a contest with a prize of $500 for the “Most Interesting” new informant profile. The contest will begin on January 8th and all new informant profiles posted between January 8th and February 8th will be considered for the prize. In order to be considered for the contest, all entries must contain documentation of their co-operation with the government. Documentation needs to be included in the posting (photograph recommended). The winner will be notified via e-mail.
Despite rumblings by police agencies and ethics watchdog groups, Who’s A Rat (www.whosarat.com) has rapidly grown in the 3 years since its launch. The site now profiles nearly 5,000 law enforcement agents and informants in an attempt to assist criminal defendants and their attorneys. But not limited to concerned citizens, and people who have been burned by informants or crooked law enforcement agents and need information about said informants and agents that could discredit them in court.
Some people view the site out of curiosity after hearing about the site in a blog or news story of some type. And one is a mother trying to find out the truth about her son’s alleged murder by a paid informant. Her story can be found at: http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/whosarat/vpost?id=251016 (note: this is a redirect link to a Who’s A Rat profile.)
The site’s disclaimer states that “the site is intended only for information on informants who are involved with non-violent crimes.” It also states that Who’s A Rat does not promote violence or obstruction of justice.
According to Chris Brown, of Who’s A Rat, “Many of our site’s profiles are backed up with verifiable documentation. We’re not here to libel anyone. Who’s A Rat is simply a resource for those who have few options in defending themselves against paid informants.”
