Man Accused In CNN Center Shooting Had Florida Convictions For Murder And Sex With Minor

Thursday, April 5th 2007, 8:20 pm

By: News On 6

ATLANTA (AP) _ The man accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend this week inside the complex housing CNN's headquarters served prison time for murder in Florida, police confirmed Thursday.

Police initially had difficulty identifying Arthur Mann and verifying his background because he was not carrying identification during Tuesday's shootings.

Witnesses said Mann, 39, argued Tuesday at with his ex-girlfriend Clara Riddles, 22, and began to drag her down an escalator before shooting her in the face and being shot by a CNN Center security guard.

Mann, who is charged with aggravated assault and felony murder, was downgraded to critical condition Thursday, according to Atlanta police spokesman James Polite.

Mann was convicted of third-degree murder and robbery with a deadly weapon in Miami-Dade County, records show. He was sentenced in 1992 to 10 years in prison, but served only four.

The murder was committed in November 1991, four months after Mann had been released from prison for stealing a car, his second conviction for grand theft auto.

In February 1998, he had sex with a minor, who was 16 or 17 according to prison records. Mann was sentenced to five years in prison and released in March 2004.

Based on statements from the victim's family, photographs of Mann, matching dates of birth and other information police have developed, investigators are confident the person they have in custody is the one listed on the Florida Department of Corrections Web site, Polite said.