In 2006, a woman named Crystal Mangum falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her, which created a lot of national attention and raised issues about race, class, and the privileges of college athletes. For the first time, Mangum has publicly admitted that she made up the story.
In an interview on the podcast “Let’s Talk with Kat,” Mangum, who is Black, said she invented the story about the white players because she wanted attention and validation from others instead of from God. She admitted, “I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t, and that was wrong.” Mangum is currently 46 years old and is in prison for fatally stabbing her boyfriend in 2011.
The three lacrosse players were found innocent in 2007 after it became clear that Mangum’s account was not true. The state attorney general’s office stated there was no credible evidence that any attack took place, as there was no DNA or witnesses to support Mangum’s claims. The prosecutor who supported her case was disbarred for dishonesty and misconduct, but no charges were brought against Mangum for her false accusations.
In 2007, the former players reached a settlement with Duke University after suing it over how the allegations were handled. Mangum, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 2013, might be released from prison as early as 2026. During the podcast interview, she expressed a desire for the three men to forgive her, saying, “I want them to know that I love them and they didn’t deserve that.”
Kat DePasquale, the podcaster from Durham, reached out to Mangum because she was interested in the case. Mangum responded and agreed to share her story.
