Crystal Mangum, a former stripper and current murder convict, admitted to fabricating her rape allegations against Duke Lacrosse players during an interview on the independent media outlet “Let’s Talk With Kat” on Thursday.
“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,” Mangum confessed. “[I] made up a story that wasn’t true because I wanted validation from people and not from God.”
Mangum, who is currently serving a prison sentence for murdering her boyfriend, falsely accused three Duke players of raping her while she was performing at a team party in March 2006. The players she accused—David Evans, Collin Finnerty, and Reade Seligmann—were arrested, sparking a national controversy and debates about racism. All three were later found innocent of the crimes, but Mangum was not prosecuted for perjury due to concerns about her mental health.
“She may have actually believed the many different stories that she has been telling,” said former North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper at the time.
Mangum cannot be prosecuted for perjury now because the statute of limitations on perjury charges in North Carolina is only two years. The allegations even led to the cancellation of a Duke Lacrosse game against Georgetown in March 2008.
Former Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong, who led the case, claimed in a 2006 interview with CBS News that “there’s no doubt a sexual assault took place” and that it was “racially motivated.” Nifong was later disbarred on June 16, 2007, by the North Carolina State Bar for lying in court and withholding DNA evidence that exonerated the players.
In her 2008 book, “Last Dance for Grace: The Crystal Mangum Story,” Mangum maintained that “something” happened that night. However, she now admits her story was false.
Mangum was indicted on charges of first-degree murder and two counts of larceny in March 2011. Prior to that, she was convicted of misdemeanors for setting a fire that nearly destroyed her home with her three children inside. According to North Carolina Department of Corrections records, Mangum was born on July 18, 1978, and grew up as the youngest of three children.
In 1993, at the age of 14, Mangum claimed to have been kidnapped and raped by three men, including her then-boyfriend. However, the case was not pursued after she withdrew her charges out of fear for her life.
Vincent Clark, a friend who co-authored Mangum’s memoir, urged people not to rush to judgment, echoing lessons from the lacrosse case. Clark also acknowledged that Mangum struggles with mental health issues.
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