Story by the Associated Press; curated by Dave Urbanski
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — The woman who falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of rape has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of her boyfriend.
Crystal Mangum, Who Falsely Accused Duke Lacrosse Players of Rape, Is Found Guilty of Murder
Crystal Mangum (Image source: YouTube raw video)
The jury deliberated for about six hours over two days before reaching their verdict in the trial of 34-year-old Crystal Mangum, who was sentenced to between 14 years and 18 years in prison.
Mangum was on trial in the death of 46-year-old Reginald Daye. He was stabbed on April 3, 2011 and he died of complications 10 days later.
In 2006, Mangum claimed Duke lacrosse players gang raped her at a team party where she was hired as a stripper.
The three arrested were eventually declared innocent by North Carolina’s attorney general after Mangum’s story crumbled and her mental stability was questioned.
The following are courtroom clips showing the moment Mangum heard her verdict read, as well as statements from the victim’s family:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Ckvh3btMs&feature=player_embeddedMore from the Los Angeles Times regarding the Duke lacrosee case:
“You have all been told some fantastic lies, and I look forward to watching them unravel in the weeks to come, as they already have in weeks past…. The truth will come out,” lacrosse player David Evans said after he was indicted.
The case did slowly fall apart as DNA evidence failed to tie Mangum to any of the 46 white players on the team. She eventually recanted her statement and said she was not sure she had been raped, although she insisted some sort of sexual assault had taken place.
In court, defense lawyers revealed that the prosecuting attorney and the lab director had withheld evidence that showed that the DNA on Mangum’s body did not match the defendants, and that it matched other men. The defense claimed that the district attorney who was prosecuting violated police policy by using a photo lineup that showed photos only of lacrosse players and did not mix in other men.
“She was, in effect, given a multiple choice test in which there were no wrong answers,” a defense motion said.
The district attorney withdrew from the case, resigned and was disbarred.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/11/23/watch-the-moment-that-woman-who-falsely-accused-duke-lacrosse-players-of-rape-is-found-guilty-of-murder/
