Eh, makes sense to me. If you have a strong town read on someone, would you rather have other people lynch them, or not have other people lynch them?
Of course, it becomes a different matter if you later change your mind (Especially if you're dead by then), so it's not exactly a flawless plan by any means, but it at least makes sense why someone would do it.
I think the shenanigans related around their role is null, at the least.