(Sep 16, 2009): "Hofstra student recants gang rape allegations" (CNN)

[CGP]

READ @ CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/16/hofstra.rape/)


Charges have been dropped against four men accused of raping an 18-year-old student at Hofstra University after the woman recanted her allegations, prosecutors said.

A Hofstra University student recanted her claims that she was lured to a dorm and assaulted in a bathroom stall.

A judge dismissed all charges Wednesday night and ordered the release of the four men -- Jesus Ortiz, 19; Stalin Felipe, 19; Kevin Taveras, 20; and Rondell Bedward, 21; all of the New York metropolitan area, according to Nassau County, New York, District Attorney Kathleen Rice.

They had been arrested, arraigned and jailed, with bail set at $500,000 each. Each was facing five counts of first-degree rape.

"Late this evening, during the continuation of the Nassau County Police Department's investigation of the allegation, and under questioning by my office's chief trial attorney and chief sex crimes prosecutor, the alleged victim of the sexual assault admitted that the encounter that took place early Sunday morning was consensual," Rice said.

She said her office has launched a criminal investigation into the statements and reports given by the woman.

The student had told Nassau County police that she had been lured from a club, forced into a men's bathroom at a university dormitory, bound and assaulted.

The woman then called the university public safety office, which alerted local police.

The reported rape shocked the Hofstra University community. The university had announced that it was increasing safety patrols on campus, as well as establishing a support hotline for students and parents.

[VotingHillary]

can we all say Duke Univeristy Lacrosse team?:thinking:

[mavfin]

Bad thing about stuff like this is that it's like crying wolf too many times. After this, some girl will cry 'rape!' and get ignored because this girl didn't want to admit to having sex with four guys.

I personally don't care about what she did with them, as it's her body and her choice, but I don't care for the false rape allegations.

[jlynne]

It's like the "rape for entertainment" article that was posted here. The people who do these things don't seem to realize how serious an allegation rape is or how profound an effect it has on the rape victim or the alleged rapist's life.

The Duke Lacrosse players, these men, and all the others like them will forever wear the stigma of accusation. And every woman who alleges rape will be subject to doubt and questioning because it must be done to protect men like these.

It's beyond sad. It's pathetic. Now, I hope we don't see another story reversal and claims that she recanted because she could not deal with the prosecutors or prosecution.

[mavfin]

It's beyond sad. It's pathetic. Now, I hope we don't see another story reversal and claims that she recanted because she could not deal with the prosecutors or prosecution.

I read today that there's a video of it, and she's not resisting or anything. Lawyer said it was like a normal porn video. It's his word, not hers, but if true, then, I'm not sure why she said it was rape.

[SoCal4Hillary]

I read today that there's a video of it, and she's not resisting or anything. Lawyer said it was like a normal porn video. It's his word, not hers, but if true, then, I'm not sure why she said it was rape.She didn't know about it until the prosecutors told her; it was taken with a cell phone. I saw one of the FORMER suspects on Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell today, and his lawyer was with him. The lawyer was asked if there really was a video or was that just told to the woman as a ploy; the lawyer said it really exists.

I abhor people who make false allegations of rape. It's taken DECADES...no, CENTURIES...to get rape victims to where we are now as far as reporting the crime--and the rate of reporting is STILL low in the scheme of things. The shame, guilt, social stigma, and so on that victims were--and still are at times--subjected to kept/keeps them from coming forward. For those of us who really were victims of rape, false accusations like this woman made are EXTREMELY troubling and very hard to swallow. She should be ashamed of herself. And I hope she's charged with something, both at a criminal and civil level.

[CGP]

If she really was a 100% willing participant in this event, it's very disturbing that she would willingly allow the reputations of others to be so severely damaged by false rape accusations - what would lead a person to do that? Additionally, making false accusations makes it even harder for women who truly are rape victims to take their cases to the police.

[BillDemo]

If she really was a 100% willing participant in this event, it's very disturbing that she would willingly allow the reputations of others to be so severely damaged by false rape accusations - what would lead a person to do that? Additionally, making false accusations makes it even harder for women who truly are rape victims to take their cases to the police.

In other cases, where there has been a false accusation of rape, it's generally because the woman got drunk, had consensual sex, then regretted it and claimed it was rape to either protect her reputation or protect her relationship with her boyfriend/husband.

I think it's the worst thing a woman can do, because, as you say, it hurts other women who genuinely have been raped.

Like SoCal4Hillary, I think a woman who makes false claims should be prosecuted, even if she is just charged with wasting police time.

[CGP]

A Hofstra University student who had claimed she was raped by five men changed her story after prosecutors confronted her with the revelation that a video of the encounter may have been recorded, a prosecutor said Thursday. (Sept. 17)


YouTube - D.A.: Word of Video Led Rape Accuser to Recant

[CGP]

Rape accusation 'traumatizing,' former suspect says (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/18/hofstra.case/index.html)

(CNN, 9/19/09)

[Laura Cereta]

This whole thing is troubling on so many levels, I don't even know where to begin. However horrible a false accusation is, I'm not going to champion the five who thought having a bathroom gang bang and filming it was awesome as heros.

[CGP]

However horrible a false accusation is, I'm not going to champion the five who thought having a bathroom gang bang and filming it was awesome as heros.

I agree.

As much as it was terrible of the female to make a false accusation, the whole situation was a disaster waiting to happen.

[SoCal4Hillary]

However horrible a false accusation is, I'm not going to champion the five who thought having a bathroom gang bang and filming it was awesome as heros.
I agree.

As much as it was terrible of the female to make a false accusation, the whole situation was a disaster waiting to happen.Having CONSENSUAL sex--even a gang bang in a restroom--is a matter of free will and choice, no matter what others (like us!) may think about it. Falsely accusing people of rape is an entirely different matter.

There are many "deviant" (for lack of a more appropriate word right now) sex acts that some people are offended by, but who the hell are we to judge [as long as it's all consensual]? Would *I* have sex in a restroom [or anywhere!] with 5 men? Um, no. But as long as all parties were participating freely, it's THEIR business.

However, when someone makes false allegations of rape it becomes my business, and yours, and everybody else's because it's an abuse of the legal system AND it affects how the falsely accused are perceived by the public. This could come back to haunt them despite the fact that they DIDN'T rape her; once something like this is out there, who knows how or when it may rear its ugly head? Imagine having to go through life correcting people: "Yes, I know my mug shot was in the newspaper and all over the Internet, but, really!, I was innocent!"

[CGP]

Having CONSENSUAL sex--even a gang bang in a restroom--is a matter of free will and choice, no matter what others (like us!) may think about it. Falsely accusing people of rape is an entirely different matter.

There are many "deviant" (for lack of a more appropriate word right now) sex acts that some people are offended by, but who the hell are we to judge [as long as it's all consensual]? Would *I* have sex in a restroom [or anywhere!] with 5 men? Um, no. But as long as all parties were participating freely, it's THEIR business.

However, when someone makes false allegations of rape it becomes my business, and yours, and everybody else's because it's an abuse of the legal system AND it affects how the falsely accused are perceived by the public. This could come back to haunt them despite the fact that they DIDN'T rape her; once something like this is out there, who knows how or when it may rear its ugly head? Imagine having to go through life correcting people: "Yes, I know my mug shot was in the newspaper and all over the Internet, but, really!, I was innocent!"

Yes, in regards to consensual and legal sexual activities people can do whatever they wish to. Free choice.

In making certain sexual choices, however, risks are often taken. One such risk could be choosing to engage in sexual activity with a person who has the capacity to make false accusations. I am not blaming these guys for what happened to them, but they placed themselves in a potentially high-risk situation which unfortunately had a bad outcome for them. Other young guys might learn from this and use their better judgment to decide against engaging in 5 on 1 group sex in a public restroom - the more people involved, the more likely someone is going to misrepresent what happened. How well did these guys know the person they had group sex with?

I think the police or the media (or both) are also at fault in this case for letting this story make national news before the facts were more clearly established.

[Laura Cereta]

Having CONSENSUAL sex--even a gang bang in a restroom--is a matter of free will and choice, no matter what others (like us!) may think about it. Falsely accusing people of rape is an entirely different matter.

There are many "deviant" (for lack of a more appropriate word right now) sex acts that some people are offended by, but who the hell are we to judge [as long as it's all consensual]? Would *I* have sex in a restroom [or anywhere!] with 5 men? Um, no. But as long as all parties were participating freely, it's THEIR business.

However, when someone makes false allegations of rape it becomes my business, and yours, and everybody else's because it's an abuse of the legal system AND it affects how the falsely accused are perceived by the public. This could come back to haunt them despite the fact that they DIDN'T rape her; once something like this is out there, who knows how or when it may rear its ugly head? Imagine having to go through life correcting people: "Yes, I know my mug shot was in the newspaper and all over the Internet, but, really!, I was innocent!"

I would tend to agree with CGP's answer concerning this. I am not saying that they deserved to be victim's of false accusations or that their sexual practices are anyone else's business, but choices DO have consequences. Since we are now aware of their private sexual practices because the media informed us, I am being honest in the fact that my heart just does not bleed for them.

And to continue being honest, I don't think the false allegations were anyone's business either until charges are filed. Then it is public information. The media jumped all over this story and chose to exploit everyone involved. Typical.

[foxyladi]

can we all say Duke Univeristy Lacrosse team?:thinking:

genericstamp!genericstamp!