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Crystal Gail Mangum is a rapist

By Scott Tibbs, October 24, 2008

Two years ago, Crystal Gail Mangum fabricated allegations that she was "raped" by members of the Duke University lacrosse team at a house party where she performed as a stripper. The case was charged with issues of race and class, but quickly unraveled when it became clear that Mangum's allegations had no credibility.

With her fabrications, Mangum entered into a criminal conspiracy with disgraced, disbarred ex-prosecutor Mike Nifong in raping the reputations of young men who had committed no crime. With his malicious and unethical prosecution of this case, Nifong burned his name into the history books and the picture of corruption in government. But Nifong's crimes would not have been possible without the fabrications of Crystal Gail Mangum.

Now, Mangum is attempting to profit from her crimes with a book about the case. This is thoroughly despicable. Isn't it enough that she fabricated false charges of a gang rape and took away a year of their lives? Isn't it enough that her fabrications made these men pariahs on their own campus? Isn't it enough that she participated in a criminal abuse of power by a corrupt ex-prosecutor? I hope the young men she falsely accused sue her to prevent her from making a penny from this book. She should not be allowed to profit from her crimes.

In addition, every woman who has ever been raped has been slapped across the face by Mangum's cynical grab for cash. She demeans and minimizes their experiences and pain. Her actions are every bit as misogynistic as the "crime" she fabricated. Women who have survived rape deserve better than to have a disgraced, discredited liar like Mangum again parading her false allegations in their faces.

It has been two and a half years since Mangum's fabrications brought her into the national spotlight, and 18 months since the Duke lacrosse team was completely exonerated. Why is she reopening and rubbing salt in these wounds now? If Mangum had even the slightest shred of human decency, she would pull her book from publication, admit that she fabricated the charges of "rape" and publically apologize to the men she victimized. Then, she should publicly apologize to every woman who has ever truly been a victim of rape.