DNA helps clear man of rape

[jayfish]

Source: The Grand Rapids Press

It would be another two days before Applewhite, 29, and his mother learned from a Press reporter Friday that Kent County Prosecutor William Forsyth had dismissed the first-degree sexual assault charges against him for an alleged March 3 attack on a 50-year-old woman near downtown.

A lack of DNA evidence tying Applewhite to the crime, the accuser's changing story, and Applewhite's passing of two polygraph tests all contributed to Forsyth dropping the felony charges, which carry a sentence of up to life in prison.

Now, after spending nearly six months in the Kent County Jail, Applewhite is left to pick up the pieces of his life. He was evicted from his apartment while behind bars, and his belongings were set out on the curb.

Read more: http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-38/1189829701172100.xml&coll=6

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I read this story in the paper this morning and it made me sick. Our criminal justice system is a joke.

Jay

[bluestateguy]

1. Sounds like he was railroaded by incompetent police and another Crystal Gail Mangum

There need to be strict punishments in place for falsely accusing someone of sexual assault.

[hang a left]

2. Let me tell you something....

The District Attorneys with their investigators can absolutely destroy yur life without one shred of evidence. They offer an affidavit to a magistrate and they are given a warrant. They can file charges and yet wait months to turn over any discovery.

In the meantime your life has been destroyed.

Our justice system, which is supposed to work, is broken.

[DeSwiss]

3. Nor did I notice....

...where the accuser has been asked to take a polygraph. The assault could have been done by the boyfriend and she may be deflecting responsibility. In either case, someone owes this man his life back...

K&R

[BlueIris]

8. "...where the accuser has been asked to take a polygraph"?? Should victims of robbery have to take

polygraphs, too? How about the victims of other felonies?

That's one of the most ludicrous posts I've ever seen here.

[wellst0nev0ter]

4. Will The Prosecuter Be Nifonged?

Or does Applewhite have to join a lacrosse team first :eyes:

[BlueIris]

7. Ooooh. You're brave. Brace for the pile-on.

[truebrit71]

11. "Nifonged": 1)To attempt to frame innocent people by dragging their names through the mud

2) To conceal evidence that contradicts your frame-up
3) To allow personal feelings to over-rule the rule of law


"Nifonged"....like that?

:eyes:

[Posteritatis]

5. And he's doomed for life anyway

Someone gets this kind of accusation, even if it's completely, totally thrown out and the guy's confirmed innocent, it doesn't matter. Simply being accused of some things makes you permanently guilty in society's eyes as of late. That might be what sucks the most about this whole mess. ;P

[uppityperson]

6. Good, glad he is cleared. I wish, for a lot of stuff.

[TahitiNut]

9. Guilt or innocence is immaterial to those who regard the primary goal of 'criminal justice' as ...

... deterrence. After all, to be a deterrent it's only necessary that third parties (the "public") think the person is guilty. That can be accomplished by the press.

:shrug:

[jayfish]

10. Kinda Sad This Got Moved From LBN.

Guess it's gotta be intertwined with "The Innocence Project" to be LBN worthy.

Jay