Former Rising Football Star Exonerated in Rape Case

[Brewman_Jax]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/rising-football...7_5ScVvyZc

From the article:

Quote: A rising football star in southern California whose career was brought to a sudden halt by a kidnap-rape conviction that landed him in prison was exonerated today after his accuser contacted him on Facebook recanted her story.

"I'm just thankful to be free now and have the opportunity like anybody else to thrive in life," Brian Banks told ABC News Radio today. "I'm completely overwhelmed with so many emotions and feelings all at once."

In a hearing today, Banks shook from sobbing when prosecutors said they did not object to his conviction being reversed. His mother and girlfriend who were in court shrieked with happiness.

Banks, now 26, was 17 in 2002 and "by all accounts, a rising football star," according to court documents. Many believed the 6-foot-4, 225 pound athlete was bound for the NFL. The University of Southern California, a Division 1 school, had offered him a full-ride scholarship and a slew of other schools—including Michigan State University and University of Kansas—were pursuing the middle linebacker.

...

Thanks to the Innocence Project, another false conviction overturned. From the article, it looks like false testimony, maybe even prosecutorial misconduct. Doing a poor job investigating is as damaging as lying, and should be punished as severely. If I don't do a good job at my job, I can be disciplined or fired. A prosecutor should have that minimum standard.

At the very least, the accuser should be prosecuted for her participation in this miscarriage of justice.

[azmouse]

I'd rather see a few guilty people set free then one innocent person put in prison. So many years of this man's life gone.

[Brewman_Jax]

(05-25-2012 04:42 PM)azmouse Wrote:  I'd rather see a few guilty people set free then one innocent person put in prison. So many years of this man's life gone.

The presumption of innocence in our system of jurisprudence speaks to that. According to our system: Better 100 guilty go free than for 1 innocent to spend a moment behind bars. Unfortunately, and esp. if the accused is a member of the wrong demographic group, it too often fails.

Another reason capital punishment needs to be abolished.

[jaxx]

I hope the colleges will give him a ride now and help him to restart a life that was taken from him. 9 years, the accuser should be liable for what they did with their lie.

Thanks for bringing us this story Brewman_Jax, there aren't nearly enough of them where the innocent are freed.

[Fire1]

(05-25-2012 05:52 PM)jaxx Wrote:  I hope the colleges will give him a ride now and help him to restart a life that was taken from him. 9 years, the accuser should be liable for what they did with their lie.

Thanks for bringing us this story Brewman_Jax, there aren't nearly enough of them where the innocent are freed.

Ditto!

[SeattleGirl]

I saw Mr. Banks being interviewed by the Rev. Al today. He's working at being accepted into the NFL. Good luck to that young man!

I'm so glad he is now free, and I agree with others on this thread -- the woman who lied about being raped should face charges for her hand in putting this man behind bars.

She should also hang her head in shame, not just because of the lie she told about Mr. Banks, but because by making a false accusation, she doesn't help the cause of women who actually have been raped. It's difficult enough to come forward; false accusations make it even more difficult.