Thursday, May 24, 2012

Travesty Of Justice

From The Long Beach Press Telegram:  A man convicted of rape nine years ago walked out of court Thursday an innocent man.
Brian Banks, a promising football star at Long Beach Poly High with a scholarship offer from USC, had his 2003 conviction reversed by Long Beach Superior Court Judge Mark Kim after the victim in the case recanted.
Nine years in the making, Banks' battle to be exonerated lasted less than 30 seconds in court. It took only moments for the District Attorney's office to "concede the matter" and Banks was no longer a convicted criminal.
The burly 6-foot-4 Banks dropped his head into his crossed arms and wept while his girlfriend Pamela Soladar audibly cried as the announcement was made.
Afterward Banks, the tears still glistening on his face, said his battle to clear is name had been a struggle and a nightmare, but on this day "the sky's the limit." Banks served 5 years and 2 months in prison after he a pleaded no contest in 2003 to forcible rape and later was registered as a sex offender.
Accuser Wanetta Gibson recanted her story a little more than a year ago and with the help of the California Innocence Project, Banks was able to get his conviction reversed....
Gibson sued the Long Beach Unified School District after the conviction and received a $1.5 million settlement accusing the district of providing an unsafe environment.
http://www.presstelegram.com/breakingnews/ci_20699928/updated-rape-conviction-vacated-long-beach-football-star

This young man had a brilliant future in his life.  He was given a full ride football scholarship to USC and was good enough to perhaps make the pro's in 4 years.
But this witch instead saw dollar signs and accused the young man of rape and kidnapping and then got a $1,500,000 reward for her lies.
Then when she recanted, her only concern was that she might have to repay the money she stole from the school district.
The only positive of all of this is that Banks will make a lot of money and fame for this.  He will get money from California, if the State has any money to give, he will be able sue the former lawyer and if there is justice, he will get a full ride scholarship from USC.  My guess is that there may even a movie in the future.
However, none of this makes up for all the torment and the suffering this guy went through.  
It would be nice that the witch who accused him will be sent to prison for 6 years and then some and be made to pay back the money she stole.
Hopefully, this will show that police and lawyers need to really investigate rape crimes and not only accept the word of the woman.

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