Megan Williams Recants Rape And Torture Story

[tootie]

I remember this (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/21/assault.recanted/) story. This is Megan Williams who said 7 white people raped and tortured her in W. Virginia. It sounded so horrific. But now 2 years later and after the people are in jail and serving long prison sentences she is now saying she lied about the crime. Rev. Al Sharpton had a rally and donated $1,000 dollars to the girl.

QUOTE: "Sharpton said, "If they are being held under false information and she misled authorities, and if the authorities went solely on her testimony, then they should be released." But he added, "If there are other circumstances around the recanting, we should know what they are."

The suspects admitted to the crime and plead guilty. So my question is why is she recanting the story or why would they plead guilty to something they didn't do?

[n/t]

:confused: I'm just as confused.

[Details]

She's mentally retarded - that's why they were not originally convicted based on her story, which tended to change, but based on the forensic evidence (she was found chained up, beaten, stabbed, etc.) and testimony from others, including the other suspects.

The prosecutor was saying that she's doing it for the publicity, attention - and you can see that from someone mentally retarded - once upon a time, some years ago, she got a bunch of attention - I'm sure that was a good thing for her.

However, I've thought of another option - I wonder if it could be an attorney who sees the chance for some big publicity, to get his name out there. All he has to do is convince a mentally retarded woman to recant a story.

No way to tell, but the evidence seems pretty darn solid, and not based on her original stories.

[tootie]

Thanks Details. I wasn't aware that she was mentally retarded. That could explain a lot of things.

[LisaM22]

I remember this (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/21/assault.recanted/) story. This is Megan Williams who said 7 white people raped and tortured her in W. Virginia. It sounded so horrific. But now 2 years later and after the people are in jail and serving long prison sentences she is now saying she lied about the crime. Rev. Al Sharpton had a rally and donated $1,000 dollars to the girl.

QUOTE: "Sharpton said, "If they are being held under false information and she misled authorities, and if the authorities went solely on her testimony, then they should be released." But he added, "If there are other circumstances around the recanting, we should know what they are."

The suspects admitted to the crime and plead guilty. So my question is why is she recanting the story or why would they plead guilty to something they didn't do?

*IF* she is saying she lied, the case must be reopened imo

[n/t]

She's mentally retarded - that's why they were not originally convicted based on her story, which tended to change, but based on the forensic evidence (she was found chained up, beaten, stabbed, etc.) and testimony from others, including the other suspects.

The prosecutor was saying that she's doing it for the publicity, attention - and you can see that from someone mentally retarded - once upon a time, some years ago, she got a bunch of attention - I'm sure that was a good thing for her.

However, I've thought of another option - I wonder if it could be an attorney who sees the chance for some big publicity, to get his name out there. All he has to do is convince a mentally retarded woman to recant a story.

No way to tell, but the evidence seems pretty darn solid, and not based on her original stories.

The link says she did it to get back at her boyfriend. Was her boyfriend one of the ones convicted? Sorry I didn't follow this case.

If these folks were innocent, why plead guilty. Something is wrong with the recanting of this story and could very well be someone taking advantage of this woman.

[tootie]

n/t, good question. In this article (http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/10/22/crimesider/entry5409420.shtml) it does say..... Now more than two years later, Williams says it was all a lie designed to exact revenge against her boyfriend, who was one of the accused attackers.
Very bizarre. I hope the authorities get to the bottom of this soon just in case this story was made up. That still would not explain why the accusers confessed. I know if I wasn't guilty there would be no way I would say I did when I didn't.

[PerneciaJane]

She's mentally retarded - that's why they were not originally convicted based on her story, which tended to change, but based on the forensic evidence (she was found chained up, beaten, stabbed, etc.) and testimony from others, including the other suspects.

The prosecutor was saying that she's doing it for the publicity, attention - and you can see that from someone mentally retarded - once upon a time, some years ago, she got a bunch of attention - I'm sure that was a good thing for her.

However, I've thought of another option - I wonder if it could be an attorney who sees the chance for some big publicity, to get his name out there. All he has to do is convince a mentally retarded woman to recant a story.

No way to tell, but the evidence seems pretty darn solid, and not based on her original stories.

She was not chained up. She walked out of the house on her own when Police came by and stopped at the house.
She was the girlfriend of one of the defendants and had already accused him of DV and that case was awaiting trial. She was not kidnapped she went there willingly.

All the defendants were most likely told by their attorney's to just plead guilty for a lighter sentence. These were all poor uneducated people and the system does not always work for poor folks.

I have friends who live in Logan County and they have all said this case was about drugs and was a crock. She went with one of the defendants too long for this to be racially motivated.

[n/t]

She was not chained up. She walked out of the house on her own when Police came by and stopped at the house.
She was the girlfriend of one of the defendants and had already accused him of DV and that case was awaiting trial. She was not kidnapped she went there willingly.

All the defendants were most likely told by their attorney's to just plead guilty for a lighter sentence. These were all poor uneducated people and the system does not always work for poor folks.

I have friends who live in Logan County and they have all said this case was about drugs and was a crock. She went with one of the defendants too long for this to be racially motivated.

Light sentence? The first article posted said they got up to 40 years.

====

Last year, all six defendants pleaded guilty and were given terms of up to 40 years in prison.

[MistyMarco]

Light sentence? The first article posted said they got up to 40 years.

====

Last year, all six defendants pleaded guilty and were given terms of up to 40 years in prison.

True, but while coercing a confession out of someone, cops will often hint that "you'll get less time if you plead guilty" or something of that nature. Remember the Stephanie Crowe case (http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/reports/crowe/)? LE had decided that her 14-year-old brother was the murderer and interrogated him alone, without his parents' knowledge, for almost 24 hours. They kept telling him he'd done it, he just didn't remember it, and if he'd confess to it that they'd get him help. Instead he confesses and gets charged with murder. (In the end it turned out he was innocent and a transient had committed the crime.)

[Details]

IIRC - she was found because a neighbor reported seeing her chained up. Yes, she wasn't chained when the police got there. And she had plenty of injuries.

I'm ready to buy false confessions - they do happen - but 7 of them? With corresponding forensic evidence (her wounds)? Seems unlikely. Without the forensic evidence, I'd be much more ready to believe false confessions - but there has to be some explanation.

[cantstandnuts]

She was not chained up. She walked out of the house on her own when Police came by and stopped at the house.
She was the girlfriend of one of the defendants and had already accused him of DV and that case was awaiting trial. She was not kidnapped she went there willingly.
All the defendants were most likely told by their attorney's to just plead guilty for a lighter sentence. These were all poor uneducated people and the system does not always work for poor folks.

I have friends who live in Logan County and they have all said this case was about drugs and was a crock. She went with one of the defendants too long for this to be racially motivated.

Kidnapping charges were added. I didn't find anything that said she went there willingly. She was held captive, IIRC.

http://www.zimbio.com/Megan%20Williams/

[Jayne]

Without the forensic evidence, I'd be much more ready to believe false confessions - but there has to be some explanation.

Yes. IA. There is some pressure of some sort on her..whether some self (un)realized epiphany or otherwise. A half dozen boys/men involved in this pled guilty? For a reduced 40 year sentence? Who were their defense attorneys - if they were innocent?

I don't like Sharpton..never have..but what he said makes the most sense I've ever heard from him (quoted in #1 on this thread). He usually jumps on the pedestal before he knows the facts or even cares what they are (MOO).

If her alleged boyfriend (DV issues) was one of them and is now serving time in jail - I'm not surprised that she'd recant. The poor girl was/is mentally deficient - not so sure how mentally efficient those boys are, either. Doesn't matter if she went "willingly" - she probably didn't have the capacity to know Yes from No or Right from Wrong. They are all guilty, IMO, and I doubt any recanting is going to do much of any good at all. Get her tested as to capacity to "contract" and they'll find she can't recant. If that makes any sense. It may indeed be for another spotlight moment.

However: If those boys were innocent, they should have never agreed to that plea, and it would have been No Deal, IMHO. And if their lawyer(s) were that crafty to get them to agree to that plea, IF they weren't smart enough to understand what they were making a plea to, then those lawyers are a bunch of schmuds (yeah..I made that up) and didn't want to face the issues of a trial. There had to be enough evidence there to convict or those pleas would not have occurred with a competent attorney representing them or a competent prosecutor. No matter how people may feel about prosecutors, those I've known do not press charges or go forward with a case if there isn't evidence to prove it..it would be a waste of time, money, and justice - most of all. And, they wouldn't take pleas like this if there wasn't evidence to back it up. This wasn't 6 months in juvenile hall, it's years.

Just makes no sense to me since by recanting this young woman is essentially saying that she chained herself, beat herself, stabbed herself, forced sex with the men, burned herself made Burton stab her in the ankle and call her a racial slur, and made all the others do what they did? Maybe the racial slur was a fabrication, but how can one fabricate forensic evidence like that? If so..then she must have been running a near brothel in that trailer with some very very strange sadistic activities with her BF and the other guys. Maybe so..maybe they just played along with her, but because they figured they couldn't get out of the charges, they pled guilty? Bad lawyer(s) IMO. Defense could have proven she was the instigator, if that had been the case..think? Sure..they'd have been guilty of stupidity among other things and criminal charges, but not pleading to that many years of time for something they didn't do with malicious intent - IF, it was her idea and they were just idiotic enough to 'go with it'. (I'm not saying that happened - but what is her recanting going to be about?)

jmo

J

[LisaM22]

I can't imagine her coming out and saying she was lying if she was not lying, maybe this has been eating her up, I do not know, but regardless this has to be investigated pronto as innocent people may have been found guilty of a crime they did not commit according to the alledged victim of the crime they were found guilty of

[Streetdreamer]

Hot case, but until I see something official this may be a case of runaway news without facts. I need to see a press conference or a confirmation that these people have, in fact, said these comments and not a manufactured AP story. I'll never forget the fraudulent reports of outright savagery of the New Orleans colluseum and how they were characterized.

By the way, no one named the Kobe Bryant accuser even though her accusation is definately questionable. No one knows what circumstance this accuser may be under and I think its HUGELY irresponsible by the original poster name a person that a court of law and 7 defendants has already decided was a victim of torment and especially considering the subject matter may result in undeserved further persecution. The article itself doesn't even mention her name. So I hope you would forgive me if I call the OP a jerk for doing that, intentionally.

[Jayne]

Two of several links I found:

http://wvgazette.com/News/200910201215

http://wvgazette.com/News/200910221024

do not know if they are helpful..but certainly displays speculation about this Recanting.

jmo

J

[tootie]

Hot case, but until I see something official this may be a case of runaway news without facts. I need to see a press conference or a confirmation that these people have, in fact, said these comments and not a manufactured AP story. I'll never forget the fraudulent reports of outright savagery of the New Orleans colluseum and how they were characterized.

By the way, no one named the Kobe Bryant accuser even though her accusation is definately questionable. No one knows what circumstance this accuser may be under and I think its HUGELY irresponsible by the original poster name a person that a court of law and 7 defendants has already decided was a victim of torment and especially considering the subject matter may result in undeserved further persecution. The article itself doesn't even mention her name. So I hope you would forgive me if I call the OP a jerk for doing that, intentionally.

No problem I do forgive you!

[Streetdreamer]

No problem I do forgive you!

Actually, now I apologize to the original poster. Now that I've looked at the info, I see the accuser has been in constant pursuit of attention. I feel sorry for her plight, but she's the one that put her name out, not the OP. I feel ashamed now.

Now will you forgive me?

[tootie]

Actually, now I apologize to the original poster. Now that I've looked at the info, I see the accuser has been in constant pursuit of attention. I feel sorry for her plight, but she's the one that put her name out, not the OP. I feel ashamed now.

Now will you forgive me?

Absolutely yes! Thanks for coming back in and saying you were sorry.

[Streetdreamer]

Not one defendant was 'found guilty' in this case.

Each & every one of them pleaded guilty.

Therein lies the mystery attached to what this victim is saying now.

They all made incriminating statements that was consistant with the claims and coroborating evidence to go with it. They weren't convicted on her testimony only, which I suspect its the reason they're still in jail without a filed grievence or appeal. The victim didn't show up for the press conference which sounds like someone wanted the media to show up by inferring she would be there. So far I still haven't seen anything from the accuser herself that makes it clear that she wants to recant. I probably haven't looked hard enough on the internet, but so far this is still a he said she said second hand story.

[LisaM22]

Not one defendant was 'found guilty' in this case.

Each & every one of them pleaded guilty.

Therein lies the mystery attached to what this victim is saying now.

sounds like they may have been a little mentally deficient too, so makes it almost sound like the cops took advantage of that... possibly, out of 7 people, not one tries to fight it?

[aubrey04]

I remember this story well. It was horrifying..

I don't know what to make of the allegations she recanted.

:confused:

[tootie]

Thank you Rock Star for the update. It's so odd. I wonder what she has to gain by recanting or allegedly recanting? The thing that made me sit up and take notice about the whole thing was Al Sharpton's statement. Will be interesting to see if she comes out and makes a statement personally.

You know Megan's mother passed away in June so I wonder if that has anything to do with it. Mentally she could be off even more due to the death of her mother. Link (http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/news-woman-who-claimed-west-virginia-rape-torture-recanting-story-r-1256144464).

[aubrey04]

Thank you Rock Star for the update. It's so odd. I wonder what she has to gain by recanting or allegedly recanting? The thing that made me sit up and take notice about the whole thing was Al Sharpton's statement. Will be interesting to see if she comes out and makes a statement personally.

You know Megan's mother passed away in June so I wonder if that has anything to do with it. Mentally she could be off even more due to the death of her mother. Link (http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/news-woman-who-claimed-west-virginia-rape-torture-recanting-story-r-1256144464).

Do you think her ex-boyfriend might be in contact with her and lured her into recanting.... maybe? That's my thoughts, at least. Perhaps he charmed her and told her if she recanted her statements, he could get out of prison & they could be together again...?

Or maybe you're right.. Maybe the trauma from her mothers death caused her already fragile state to go haywire..

I remember reading this story and being horrified.. so this is just puzzling, to say the least.

:shrug:

imo

[LisaM22]

No. It doesn't sound like the defendants may be a little mentally deficient too.

The cops didn't take advantage. Six defendants made statements corroborating the evidence. Six defendants pleaded guilty.

Caretaker: Woman has changed torture story before (http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/10/22/536855.html)

A woman who claims her 2007 kidnapping and torture ordeal was a lie is being manipulated, according to a lawyer who once spoke on her behalf and raised thousands of dollars for her.

Malik Shabazz, founder of the Washington, D.C.-based Black Lawyers for Justice, told The Associated Press Thursday he has no doubt Williams, who is black, was really tortured by a group of white people in Logan County in 2007. Shabazz is also national chairman of the New Black Panther Party.

And...

Brian Abraham, the Logan County prosecutor at the time of the 2007 incident, dismissed Williams' new story as "absurd," and said the convictions were based on the defendants' own statements and physical evidence rather than what Williams said.

And...

There is no practical legal effect of Wednesday's announcement, according to Philip Morrison, executive director of the West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Institute.

"She hasn't recanted," Morrison said. "A lawyer can't speak for an individual. The individual has to speak for herself. That's step one."

If Williams does give a formal statement, perhaps to investigators, then it's up to the six convicts to file writs of habeas corpus to have their cases reopened, citing newly discovered evidence, Morrison said.

Lawyers for the six have either not responded to requests for comment or have declined to talk.

like I am gonna listen to anything the chairman of the New Black Panther Party says, that would be like listening to the chairman of the kkk saying a white women was raped when she says she was not, remember the duke case... need I say more?

[Streetdreamer]

like I am gonna listen to anything the chairman of the New Black Panther Party says, that would be like listening to the chairman of the kkk saying a white women was raped when she says she was not, remember the duke case... need I say more?

I'm sorry you have that view of the New Black Panther Party. The KKK and the NBPP are two totally different animals. One is a secret society that advocates the murder, intimidation, and oppression of rights as well as willfull lies and misleading information about other opposing races, while the other is fighting for justice and protection for their people. I, for one, thank god there is NBPP because I am a living example of someone who has experienced racist injustice that couldve turned out to be fatal with very little interest to resolve it from the police. If it was fatal, I'm sure they would be there. Too bad you don't know any better.

[StarShine]

I remember this (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/21/assault.recanted/) story. This is Megan Williams who said 7 white people raped and tortured her in W. Virginia. It sounded so horrific. But now 2 years later and after the people are in jail and serving long prison sentences she is now saying she lied about the crime. Rev. Al Sharpton had a rally and donated $1,000 dollars to the girl.

QUOTE: "Sharpton said, "If they are being held under false information and she misled authorities, and if the authorities went solely on her testimony, then they should be released." But he added, "If there are other circumstances around the recanting, we should know what they are."

The suspects admitted to the crime and plead guilty. So my question is why is she recanting the story or why would they plead guilty to something they didn't do?

You ask why they would plead guilty to something they didn't do, I'll tell you why. Because prosecutors threaten them with far worse punishment if they don't. I don't think I would, but people do plead guilty to avoid threatened DEATH Penalties, etc. The justice system is in dire need of revamping. It should be more about the truth and justice and not about winning!!

ETA before I posted this I didn't read the article that the woman in jail said they are guilty.....I am confused as to why this woman is now recanting her story.

[Streetdreamer]

ETA before I posted this I didn't read the article that the woman in jail said they are guilty.....I am confused as to why this woman is now recanting her story.

She didn't recant. Some lawyer claiming to represent her did.

[LisaM22]

How about one of the six defendants who pleaded guilty in this case?

Will you listen to her?

Convicted Woman Says W. Va. Woman was Tortured (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569374,00.html)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A woman imprisoned for her role in the 2007 kidnapping and torture of a black woman by seven white men and women said Friday the victim wasn't telling the truth when she denied this week that the attack occurred.

Frankie Brewster told WCHS-TV in Charleston that multiple crimes were committed against Megan Williams during the attack in West Virginia's rural Logan County, about 50 miles south of Charleston.

hard to tell who is and who is not telling the truth, I would want to hear from the victim in her own words through the courts

but I would have a hard time believing anything either the NBPP or KKK has to say