Thinking About Lateral Thinking

Well, if the last Gridword was a technical success, then this contest is a flop. Very few people have asked any questions at all. No one has got the solution yet, so this contest is still open.

In case you missed it, the object of the game is to be able to explain this situation: A thief, caught at the scene of his crime, requested that his arresting officer book him for manslaughter, not theft. How come? You can ask any yes-or-no question to help you figure out the solution by e-mailing your questions to djrigby@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca. Questions received any other way, including through uw.mathnews will not be answered. The first person to solve the puzzle wins a prize. Please try!

Gridby