Accusing someone of rape is probably one of the most heinous accusations you can make.
If you do, you’d better be able to back it up.
Wanetta Gibson didn’t do that, and found herself on the wrong end of the law:
Wanetta Gibson was 15 in 2002 when she falsely accused [Atlanta Falcons linebacker] Banks of raping her. Before the charges, Banks was a star middle linebacker at Long Beach Polytechnic High School and had verbally committed to a full scholarship at the University of Southern California. He spent five years in prison and spent five years on parole where he was mandated to register as a sex offender before being exonerated of all charges in 2012.
Gibson has been “ordered to repay the $750,000 settlement she received, attorneys’ fees, interest and $1 million in punitive damages”.
Great, so Banks can clear his name and get back his attorney’s fees along with some punitive damage for falsely spending years in prison, on parole, as a sex offender, losing out on scholarships and football opportunities, right?
NOPE.
The ruling allows the school district to get the money through her future wages and property.
“The court recognizes that our school district was a victim in this case,” Long Beach Unified Superintendent Christopher J. Steinhauser said.
That’s right. The money is all going to Long Beach Unified School District, which was never accused of raping Gibson, didn’t have to spend years in prison or register as a sex offender, and didn’t lose out on scholarships, opportunities, or money.
Making accusers pay: right first step!
Making that money go to a school district instead of the falsely-accused? Wrong second step—straight off a cliff.
