Melissa Virus Case

A brief filed in New Jersey Superior Court by Supervising Deputy Atty. Gen. Christopher G. Bubb alleges that David L. Smith, the former computer programmer who is charged with creating the Melissa computer virus, admitted guilt. According to the prosecutor, Smith, who was arrested in April, waived his Miranda rights and spoke to investigators when police arrived at his apartment. “Smith admitted, among other things, to writing the Melissa macro virus, illegally accessing America Online for the purpose of posting the virus onto cyberspace, and destroying the personal computers he used to post Melissa,” Bubb wrote. The virus clogged e-mail systems around the world. Defense attorney Edward P. Borden Jr. told the Asbury Park Press of Neptune, N.J., that he disputes Bubb’s assertions. He refused to comment further, the newspaper said.