SALEM -- The photo in this story is of a Salem man believed to have attempted to fake his own death to beat a court case. Police unsuccessfully attempted to locate him over the weekend.

Last Friday, Salem police obtained an arrest warrant for 42 year old Michael Rosen of 181 North Street and charged him with counterfeiting and forgery, Rosen allegedly posed as his brother in Salem District Court last Tuesday.

Rosen handed a clerk a copy of what police later confirmed was a forged death certificate with many misspellings, including the name of the cemetery where he claimed to be buried.

As a result of the fake document, a judge on dismissed the charges against Rosen.

A probation officer discovered the problem in regard to the dismissal, he was suspicious. He remembered he had talked to Rosen the previous week and was apparently in good spirits and in good health. Rosen has a long police record including prior forgery charges.