Best puzzle ever.

[desh]

I found out about this from Gene Weingarten's chat. See below for a real video, about 10 minutes long, of an officer interviewing a suspected prison escapee. The officer lets the guy go at the end of the video. See if you agree with that decision, and why. (Don't google it if you don't want to be spoiled.) It's really awesome.

All comments are screened, but I'll unscreen any comment that isn't the right answer. And eventually, I'll unscreen everything.

[Poll #843909]

The Video

Comments

[kazulrw.livejournal.com]

to clarify: i hadn't actually seen it before, but i read the whole story in the new yorker two weeks ago.

[desh]

And they gave away the ending, I suppose? Oh well.

[camomiletea.livejournal.com]

I have no idea, and I want a spoiler. The embedded video doesn't seem to work (it's blank).

[camomiletea.livejournal.com]

Oh, wait, never mind! I started watching the video once more, and

He said he was Robert Jones. But later he says he's Jimmy Jones.

[desh]

Yup. It's quite funny once you get it, isn't it?

[mantisbot.livejournal.com]

The guy says he's Robert Jones in the beginning and Jimmy Jones toward the middle.

The cop made a mistake.

[groovin-reuven.livejournal.com]

He can't decide on his name. That'd arouse suspicion. :-)

[tobeginagain.livejournal.com]

Without checking the other comments (I'm backreading, what else is new):
1. First he said his name was Robert Jones, then he said it was Jimmy Jones
2. If he's been around the area for a week or so, shouldn't he have noticed that trains run on those tracks?

[desh]

Yeah, I caught that second one too. (Missed the name thing, though. I'm a bad detective.)