12/21/24
April 04, 2013
From a prison cell to the football field: Exonerated Brian Banks signs with Atlanta Falcons: Brian Banks wore the uniform of a prison inmate for more than five years, serving time for a rape he didn't commit.
This week, he learned he'll be wearing an Atlanta Falcons jersey.
He'd be bigger than me, that's for sure.
I see these types of stories and I never find out what happens to the individual whose lies end up making someone else lose years of their life behind bars. The focus is always on how great it is that the person is getting free and not on what the cost ought to be for the perjurer who caused such great harm.
I didn't see anywhere in that piece where prosecutors were talking about any possible charges against the woman.
If we're going to be litigious, seems like job one ought to be slamming folks like her with major penalties so that it is understood that wrongfully incriminating someone comes at a significant cost. Criminal, civil, or both. If she had wrongfully put me in prison like that, she'd end up wishing she had pissed off Fred Goldman instead.
posted by beaverboard at 12:57 PM on April 04, 2013
"We do not believe Mr. Banks did the crime he pled guilty to," Deputy District Attorney Brentford Ferreira said. "Justice has been served."
That seems kind of contradictory, doesn't it? This story is kind of short. I'd love to hear what his accuser has to say about why she did what she did, and what made her change her mind. The reality of what he went through comes through pretty clearly when he says that he entered a "life of violence" behind bars.
Regardless of whether he sues her, I wish him success in at least partially reclaiming the life that he missed out on.
posted by tahoemoj at 01:16 PM on April 04, 2013
Should Brian Banks' Accuser, Wanetta Gibson, Be Prosecuted for Lying About High School Rape?
posted by BornIcon at 01:43 PM on April 04, 2013
If we're going to be litigious, seems like job one ought to be slamming folks like her with major penalties so that it is understood that wrongfully incriminating someone comes at a significant cost.
How about the accuser serves out the same amount of time the wrongfully accused has already served? If the wrongfully accused has already served the full sentence, then the accuser serves the entire sentence as well.
posted by grum@work at 02:24 PM on April 04, 2013
From this CNN article, the accuser netted $1.5M in civil penalties for the alleged rape from the local school district.
Hell has a special place for people who are not only willing to send an innocent man to jail, but also are willing to express "concern" at returning money they effectively stole from a school district.
posted by dfleming at 02:51 PM on April 04, 2013
This reminds me of the case of Eric Frimpong, who remains in jail.
posted by rcade at 04:23 PM on April 04, 2013
Goddammit, now I have to like the Falcons?
posted by Etrigan at 05:19 PM on April 04, 2013
Not only did she lie she collected a huge legal settlement from the school district , she should be prosecuted for fraud also. To many women get away with this crap.
posted by ic23b at 10:50 PM on April 04, 2013
Let's very much not make this into an MRA discussion, please.
posted by Etrigan at 11:27 PM on April 04, 2013
Not sure if it's already been linked, but 60 Minutes Sports recently did a piece on the story that's worth watching.
posted by yerfatma at 09:16 AM on April 05, 2013
Brian Banks appears to have learned "forgiveness" during his incarceration. He's a far better man than I for it. As for charges against his accuser, that's best left up to the legal system, not Mr. Banks. She could be in real trouble, especially if she accepted a settlement from the school district. It is said that a thief can rob you, but a liar can hang you. The Banks case illustrates why "Thou shalt not bear false witness..." is one of the 10.
posted by Howard_T at 04:12 PM on April 05, 2013
I noticed a lot of people are calling for Brian to sue this woman, but I believe he might accept an apology instead of suing her. I think this would make him a bigger man in the eyes of the public.