Former computer programmer David L. Smith admitted creating the Melissa virus which jammed e-mail around the world, says a prosecutor in court papers in the case. \nSuspect David Smith
The Associated Press says a brief filed in state court by supervising deputy Attorney General Christopher Bubb says Smith waived his Miranda rights and talked to investigators when police arrived at his apartment.
Smith, who is free on $100,000 bail, could face 40 years in prison if convicted on charges of conspiracy, interfering with public communications, and theft of computer services. He is said to have named the virus after a Florida topless dancer.
Bubb wrote that Smith admitted "among other things" to writing Melissa, accessing America Online illegally to post Melissa into cyberspace, and destroying the personal computers he used to post Melissa.
Melissa was disguised as an e-mail marked "important message" from a friend or colleague of each recipient. Affected computers created and sent 50 additional infected messages, slowing many systems to a crawl and slower.
The Bubb brief was filed to respond to a defense motion seeking more prosecution documents, the AP says. Smith's attorney says he needs the documents to file a motion to suppress evidence seized while searching Smith's apartment. A hearing on that motion was scheduled for today.
