Hofstra Student Who Made Up Rape Story "Likely" To Face Charges

Nearly a week after an 18-year-old Hofstra student claimed that five men raped her in a dormitory bathroom—only to later admit the story was fake—the freshman may face charges for her lies, which put four of the "suspects" behind bars for two days.

According to Newsday, a law enforcement official says that the Nassau County DA's office and police are getting corroborating evidence (more videotape?)—charges will come "within days." Former Nassau County prosecutor Joy Watson, a Republican who is running for the DA job, said that DA Kathleen Rice should have acted sooner: "A crime was committed, and there's no question who committed the crime.... I prosecuted cases in the past where we had false allegations made, and arrests were made immediately." But Rice's spokesman said that Rice "doesn't make snap judgments or let political expedience replace diligent fact-finding in investigations, so it's disturbing to hear that a candidate without the facts running for such a serious office would attempt to politicize and score political points on an issue like this."

And perhaps as a zing to the Post's Saturday cover story with two of the falsely accused men, the Daily News's Michael Daly had a Sunday column that starts with, "If these five guys have no sense of shame, they should at least shut up. No young woman would consent to having sex with five guys in a bathroom unless she was seriously troubled."

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By Jen Chung in News on September 21, 2009 8:31 AM

Comments [rss]

theevilone

"If these five guys have no sense of shame, they should at least shut up. No young woman would consent to having sex with five guys in a bathroom unless she was seriously troubled."

He's so judgy! Has he talked to all emotionally well-adjusted women and asked them if a gang bang is out of the question? I want the factual basis for this claim.

Spirit of 76

Leave the poor girl alone. She's just Tawana Brawley 2.0.

NannyState

I hear she's working out a plea agreement in the District Attorney's restroom.

Amanda Harletsch

She has to face the consequences within the US Legal system for ignoring at will that rights of these men. Neither her nor the men were very smart when it comes to engaging is such acts and taking into account the possible consequences of such "intimacy" with total strangers: dumb idiots.

For the ones advocating lynching -hanging her...well the Taliban will welcome some people in Afghanistan.

felixthecat2

Gang Bang Blows.

blondeinthecity

this goes back to the whole "don't cry wolf" thing. its clear that she puts herself in dangerous situations (for whatever reason), so who is going to take her seriously if she is actually raped, molested, or beaten especially after all the press this story is getting? i also cant imagine what this has done to the hofstra community.

i sincerely hope she enjoys jail.

Bort

Michael Daly needs to shut the fuck up.

poetofsorts

"If these five guys have no sense of shame, they should at least shut up. No young woman would consent to having sex with five guys in a bathroom unless she was seriously troubled."

Seriously? I'm sure she has some issues (like having confidence issues and hating herself) but that gives her no right to lie about being raped and trying to destroy other peoples lives along with hers. They all look bad but then again what they do consentually is their buisness. If she never claimed rape no one would have ever known this happened. It would have just been between these guys, her, and probably her bf (ex-bf by now hopefully).

jaycjay

Nothing in the statement you're quoting in any way implies that their actions gave her a "right to lie about being raped and trying to destroy other peoples lives along with hers."

Rocknrope

We, the jury, find the defendent guilty of being a skanky ho.

*Judge slams gavel.*

Rocknrope

DefendAnt, natch.

Matt Joyce

The biggest problem with charging someone for falsely accusing rape, is that it makes it harder for rape victims to come forward. What happens if you can't prove that the person you accused raped you? They get acquitted and you face charges now on top of being raped? Where's the line drawn that protects rape victims and still protects the rights of those accused... falsely or not.

It's a tough question, and a very difficult set of circumstances to regulate. I've seen first hand that there are messed up women on this earth who have a tendency to cry rape. And that can DESTROY mens lives. But, on the opposite side there are normal women, scared to come forward after being treated in the most ruthless of manners. Neither deserve to be a victim of bureaucracy.

Right up there with this, is the situations all over the country involving men paying child support for children that are not theres. Sometimes for years. Sometimes without any ability to legally fight the problem.

There are very real problems with protecting everyones rights in situations like these where emotions blind our logical minds.

HymietownHero

There is a huge chasm between being unable to prove that you were raped and lying about having been raped, and the law recognizes that difference.

J

I pray she get's jail time, I had something similar happen and I've never been the same.

NewHCE

I know she is only 18 and I'm sure she does have problems, but charges must be filed to send a message.

nicemarmot

Yeah I gotta agree - sure maybe she has problems, but she very nearly destroyed 5 men's lives. If she's smart enough to get into college, she's smart enough to know that lying and telling the police you were violently raped when you weren't is a really, really horrible evil thing to do. Just because someone has mental issues doesn't mean they should be allowed to hurt people at will.