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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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11

W.Va. Woman Recants Kidnap, Torture Story

Prosecutor stands by '07 convictions, didn't rely on her testimony

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(Newser) – A black woman who accused seven white people of beating and raping her while keeping her captive in a West Virginia trailer in 2007 has recanted her story, according to her lawyer. Six of the seven are currently serving prison time after confessing and accepting plea bargains. Megan Williams, whose case sparked a national hate-crimes controversy, made up the accusations as revenge on one of the accused, her then-boyfriend, and now wants to stop "living this lie," her lawyer says.

The prosecutor who handled the cases is skeptical about Williams' recantation and accuses her of seeking publicity. Authorities decided early on that she wasn't reliable, he says, and pursued the case using physical evidence and statements from the accused. The Rev. Al Sharpton said Williams has "psychological issues" and called for the case to be handled delicately. "This isn't cut and dried either way," he told the AP. "Right is right, but I have no idea if tomorrow her story will change back."

In a Monday, Oct. 22, 2007 file photo, Megan Williams, 20, of Charleston, W.Va., stands outside of her home.
In a Monday, Oct. 22, 2007 file photo, Megan Williams, 20, of Charleston, W.Va., stands outside of her home.   (AP Photo/Jeff Gentner, File)
Megan Williams, 20, of Charleston, W.Va., sits at her home Monday, Oct. 22, 2007.
Megan Williams, 20, of Charleston, W.Va., sits at her home Monday, Oct. 22, 2007.   (AP Photo/Jeff Gentner)
Bobby Brewster, left, 24, of Big Creek, W. Va., is one of the six people serving prison time over the Williams case.
Bobby Brewster, left, 24, of Big Creek, W. Va., is one of the six people serving prison time over the Williams case.   (AP Photo/Jeff Gentner)
Alisha Burton, 23, of Chapmanville, W.Va., is one of the six people serving prison time over the Williams case.
Alisha Burton, 23, of Chapmanville, W.Va., is one of the six people serving prison time over the Williams case.   (AP Photo/Jeff Gentner)
Megan Williams, left, and her mother Carmen Williams of Charleston smile and wave during a rally at the Capitol prior to a march Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007 in Charleston, W.Va.
Megan Williams, left, and her mother Carmen Williams of Charleston smile and wave during a rally at the Capitol prior to a march Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007 in Charleston, W.Va.   (AP Photo/Jeff Genter)
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It's ironic to me that today she's saying she made all this up. At the time she was criticizing me for offering them plea agreements. Each of them made statements incriminating themselves and others.
- Former prosecutor Brian Abraham

If the prosecution depended on something Ms. Williams said that she is now saying is false, the prosecutor needs to reopen this case. And I told Ms. Williams exactly that.
- The Rev. Al Sharpton

This isn't to rejuvenate her
15 minutes of fame, but to regurgitate her 15 minutes of fame. Is she proposing to give back all the donations she got? - Former prosecutor Brian Abraham

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11 comments
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divetrader
Oct 22, 09 7:14 AM CDT
What a mess! If she did make up this story, what the hell did the prosecutor do to the accused to get them to confess? Are we going to see the prosecutor going to jail soon? Reply
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+3
cedarkey
Oct 22, 09 7:53 AM CDT
If these guys are innocent, this woman should serve time. Reply
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+4
Janniel
Oct 22, 09 8:06 AM CDT
Was Al Sharpton involved in this from the beginning?...as he was in the Tawana Brawley case? I'm not black, but if I were, this kind of shit would infuriate me. Actually it does anyway. Reply
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+1
DavoMax
Oct 22, 09 8:30 AM CDT
this only makes me suspicious when any woman claims rape. It really should be a crime (with a penalty as severe as a rape charge itself) to make this accusation if it is not true. Reply
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+2
IN RESPONSE:
dawnarun
Oct 22, 09 5:06 PM CDT
Just because some women are crying wolf doesn't mean we should be suspicious of women who do say they've been raped. It's hard enough as it is to come out and admit to yourself you've been raped, if everyone around you is skeptical it's going to make it harder to get women talking. They say 1/4 of women are raped or sexually assaulted in their lifetimes and most rape goes unreported. We can't take on this mentality if we want this to change. There are some dumb asses in the world yes, but we have to still be open-minded and sensitive that there are a lot of women who are struggling to just say anything about it at all and any skepticism will probably make them retract it or keep it to themselves. I was raped and it took me 6 years and a very intuitive boyfriend to get me to even think about it, talk about it, and admit that it had even happened. I had shut it out and it had been seriously impacting my ability to have meaningful connections with lovers. Even now I feel awkward talking about it because I have to say things like 'I'm talking about it so openly now because I've dealt with it, I'm dealing with it.' and I say that because I sometimes think people won't believe me. It wasn't violent rape so I'm not traumatized. That intuitive boyfriend said to me 'A car accident doesn't have to traumatize you to change the way you drive.'
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