Woman who lied about rape asks for 'bygones to be bygones'

The lawyer interviewed said that 95% of cases are resolved by plea bargain.

The original lawyer told Brian that the jury would see him as a "big black man"...

These things make my blood boil.

Send her to jail. Make her pay back a decent sum of the money/portion of her income goes towards him in the future.

If you come down too harshly on someone who recants a false accusation, you'll discourage others from recanting false accusations.

CR

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Originally Posted by Gelatinous Cube

The guy sat in jail for FIVE YEARS. Sorry isn't enough.

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Would be for me if it's genuine, what good would it do to be spitefull

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Originally Posted by Gelatinous Cube

You can't say that for sure. Five years in prison on a rape charge is five very unpleasant years. Five years where he didn't see his family, didn't see his friends, didn't get to progress his life in any meaningful way--all on top of being accused of something heinous.

All of this was because that dumb girl lied--AND GOT RICH FROM IT! There need to be consequences for this sort of thing. Its too easy for a man's life to be ruined or nearly ruined because of a false accusation.

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But his name was cleared, she did what is right. Why play a game where everybody loses, letting bygones be bygones is better

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Originally Posted by Gelatinous Cube

She did not do what was right. The right thing would have been to not lie in the first place. She stole 5 years of a man's life and got over a million dollars for it. How do you not see a crime there?

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What she did back then was wrong, but she came clear, that's commendable it obviously bothered her. I would be angry at the system not at a then 16 year old girl. If she was older it would be different but she probably had no idea what she set in motion. Very stupid big consequences, but still just stupid. They should have a coffee and talk it out and never look back.

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Would be for me if it's genuine, what good would it do to be spitefull

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This I agree with. If her apology was heartfelt then perhaps a magnanimous man would let it go. It would also be the good thing to do.

But the point here is that I don't think the girl really meant it. I mean the way I've understood it is he served his time, and got out and then she asks him to let the past be. The only reason his name got cleared was because he managed to tape her confession and got it in the media.
I don't think the girl intended to tell anyone anytime soon that he was innocent.

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Originally Posted by Crazed Rabbit

If you come down too harshly on someone who recants a false accusation, you'll discourage others from recanting false accusations.

CR

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So, one who confesses murder shouldn't be prosecuted because other murderers won't confess in the future?

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Originally Posted by rajpoot

. The only reason his name got cleared was because he managed to tape her confession and got it in the media.
I don't think the girl intended to tell anyone anytime soon that he was innocent.

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This. She didn't want to clear his name because she was afraid she would lose the money she stole from the state. What a great remorse indeed.

See, I can think.

But who kills the kids?

:shame:

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Originally Posted by Visorslash

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."

Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers, one, two, three,
"Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?"
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?",
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."

Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong,
"You'll never take me alive", said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."

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Sir. Step slowly away from the computer, and put the bottle down.

Dont be a fool, that doenst work on Orgahs, why do you think strike is still here?

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Originally Posted by Greyblades

Dont be a fool, that doenst work on Orgahs, why do you think strike is still here?

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We can catch Visorslash before it's too late though.

It's a temporary anger. Like a flash in the pan. But it doesn't change the fact that it is disgusting, and you know that.

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Originally Posted by johnhughthom

Sir. Step slowly away from the computer, and put the bottle down.

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I would prefer if you got rid of the quote. :shame: I'm glad this is the last of my alcohold and that I will be buying not too many more in my future.

EDIT: Certain issues get me angry regardless of the state I'm in. Child abuse, rape, torture, etc. And when people lie about those issues and get money out of it, can you understand why it makes me mad? I hate how people can do those things. They are so terrible. I can't begin to understand why they would do those sickening things. It's just so immoral.

EDIT 2: I think i need to sleep. The world is depressing.

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Originally Posted by Crazed Rabbit

If you come down too harshly on someone who recants a false accusation, you'll discourage others from recanting false accusations.

CR

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You could be lenient towards people who actually retract their false confessions in front of the police. Which is not what this woman did.

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Originally Posted by Kralizec

You could be lenient towards people who actually retract their false confessions in front of the police. Which is not what this woman did.

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Give her so e creds, why put the hurt where ít does not belong.

this almost like my friend's story in the past... frighteningly similar...

Would rather have these kinds of situations occur than the opposite.

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Originally Posted by Skullhead

So, one who confesses murder shouldn't be prosecuted because other murderers won't confess in the future?

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No. Try reading what I wrote again.

CR

She should be required to pay back all the money she received, preferably to him.

I also wonder whether he gets some official papers that prove he was wrongfully imprisoned. Because he certainly should.

And then she should receive whatever punishment there is for false testament as a teenager. Completely ruining her life is useless because then she can never work to pay back the money.

Even if he forgives her, the state should be responsible and get the money back - the money they got from tax payers or financial aid or someone. Give this money to the people who deserve it. This is a huge amount of money we're talking about. Letting her keep that huge amount of money will encourage others and there'll be more victims. We all know that this happens to a lot of people. More frauds like this need to be prevented so that innocent lives don't get ruined and the tax payers' money don't get wasted. The system has been played around with and this can hurt the system's judgement in helping the real rape victims.

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Originally Posted by Fragony

What she did back then was wrong, but she came clear, that's commendable it obviously bothered her. I would be angry at the system not at a then 16 year old girl. If she was older it would be different but she probably had no idea what she set in motion. Very stupid big consequences, but still just stupid. They should have a coffee and talk it out and never look back.

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im sorry but even a 16 year old knows very well that what she did was wrong. even though she does perhaps not clearly oversee all consequenses (amongst them the fact that she would feel incredibly guilty) but that doesnt mean she is totally has no idea of right and wrong. and if she didnt have any such sense when 16 what makes you think she would have when 18 or 20 or 22?

and yes shaka is right also. to be sorry doesnt automatically leads to forgiveness sometimes there has to be penance made. what if it was the other way around and this guy raped the girl, got away with it and then 5 years later contacts here says he's sorry and he shouldnt have raped her and please let bygones be bygones... would you agree to let this guy off? just let him walk away without any consequense while he ruined a persons a life with his action? even though perhaps he was just a horny 16 yo teenager... and ofcourse he is now a different person.

i very seriously doubt you would

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Originally Posted by The Stranger

im sorry but even a 16 year old knows very well that what she did was wrong. even though she does perhaps not clearly oversee all consequenses (amongst them the fact that she would feel incredibly guilty) but that doesnt mean she is totally has no idea of right and wrong. and if she didnt have any such sense when 16 what makes you think she would have when 18 or 20 or 22?

and yes shaka is right also. to be sorry doesnt automatically leads to forgiveness sometimes there has to be penance made. what if it was the other way around and this guy raped the girl, got away with it and then 5 years later contacts here says he's sorry and he shouldnt have raped her and please let bygones be bygones... would you agree to let this guy off? just let him walk away without any consequense while he ruined a persons a life with his action? even though perhaps he was just a horny 16 yo teenager... and ofcourse he is now a different person.

i very seriously doubt you would

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What would you want from her if it would have been you. Nothing to gain here in any way, letting it rest is just better. Forgive her for being incredibly stupid and let her have the life she has now. Sometimes you lose that's just how things go sometimes

im not looking at this from a personal perspective. i dont even know if i can. i would not be the same person as i am now so i cant say if i would be bitter or if i would not be.

when do you determine that its better to let things go? i mean if she stole a pair of shoes i would be inclined to agree, if she murdered someone i would not be. this seems to be right on the edge.

but thats the personal perspective, there is also the perspective of the law and justice should always triumph. i dont think it would be just to let her walk. at least the money should be repayed. i do agree that giving her a prison sentence might be rather harsh in this case and would not really benefit anyone. but simple forgiveness doesnt send the right message either. we have these penalty to serve as warnings and if we are not consistent we would do better not to have laws at all.

She was 16 at the time, can't really hold her responsible. There's the difference. What could have happened, as it happens a lot,is that she panicked after sleeping with him and once the gears got going there was no turning back. What she did was wrong but the system is worse. I think she deserves a little compassion instead of scrutiny

She never slept with him, apparently.

Also, a welfare mom paying the state back 1.5 lemons? Good one, that. Just dissolve her as a warning to the others.

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Originally Posted by Gelatinous Cube

What? 16 is young, but its not THAT young. Any 16 year old who thinks its okay to falsely accuse someone of rape isn't going to suddenly grow a better moral compass as they get older.

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I did.

I mean, I wasn't that bad, but still.

Even so - she didn't actually confess to the Police so she is not wholly repentant.

On the other hand, sending her to gaol would not only be expensive it would bring her within the criminal community, which she is still outside.

I dont understand how you guys really think you could ever forgive her. I certainly wouldn't have it in me considering he was likely raped himself in prison.

As to maturity and her age. When I was fifteen I knew damn sure you couldnt walk around saying you were raped and send innocent people to prison. Heck, when I was 8 I knew you shouldnt do that. If we used her age as an excuse or that was common for someone that age wouldnt be many men of any age walking around free.

If this girl hadn't gotten caught telling him it was a lie he would have not only been a rapist but a child molestor in the eyes of the law. He would have had to go to all of his neighbors houses and tell them to their faces that he was a kiddy diddler.

If this was me in this situation and I was this fellow, if I knew she wasnt going to confess and get her just punishment and my name weren't going to be cleared...... there may be murder in my heart.

And Frags you stabbed somebody huh bro? How did you get out of the toolbox.

(anecdote anecdote anecdote)