Crystal Mangum, who gained notoriety for accusing three Duke University lacrosse players of rape in 2006, has recently confessed that she lied about the incident. This confession came during an interview on the independent media outlet "Let's Talk With Kat" on December 12, 2024, while she is serving a prison sentence for the second-degree murder of her boyfriend in 2013. Here are the key points from her confession:
Admission of False Testimony: Mangum admitted to testifying falsely against the Duke lacrosse players by claiming they raped her when they did not. She acknowledged that this was wrong and she had betrayed the trust of many who believed her. She stated, "I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn't, and that was wrong, and I betrayed the trust of a lot of other people who believed in me."
Motivation for the Lie: She explained her motive for the false accusation was to seek validation from people rather than from God. "I made up a story that wasn't true because I wanted validation from people and not from God."
Impact and Legal Consequences: The original allegations led to the arrest and significant controversy surrounding the players, David Evans, Collin Finnerty, and Reade Seligmann, and resulted in national conversations about racism. The charges against the players were eventually dropped due to lack of evidence and inconsistencies in Mangum's accounts. However, Mangum cannot be prosecuted for perjury because the statute of limitations for perjury in North Carolina is only around two years.
Current Status and Apology: Mangum, now 46, expressed remorse during the interview, asking for forgiveness from the accused players, referring to them as her "brothers" and stating, "I want them to know I love them and they didn’t deserve it. I hope they can forgive me."
Comments