Purported Hate Crime Was Faked

[NaturalHigh]

ADA, Okla. (AP) A woman who claimed two men threw her to the ground and one of them cut the word, "lesbian," into her forearm with a knife has admitted to fabricating the incident, Ada city officials said Friday.

Sarah Kaspereit, 21, showed police superficial wounds when she reported the incident in December in this city of about 15,000 people, 90 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.

"Both the FBI and local police conducted an investigation and ultimately determined the wounds were most likely self-inflicted," city spokesman Mark Bratcher said in a written statement.

"Kaspereit admitted that was indeed the case on March 1, almost three months after she initially filed the false report."

More...

The story goes on to say that Kaspereit will not be charged with filing a false police report and also relates another false report that was made recently in Oklahoma.

[ck4829]

1. Why do people do this?

The Bigots and people who wish for genocide will issue press releases saying that hate crimes are overblown as they're loading their rifles and drawing up extermination plans.

[Maraya1969]

2. The poor thing is reaching out for help. Sounds a little like Munchausen syndrom

[NaturalHigh]

3. There are better ways to get help.

What she did was a crime.

[frogcycle]

4. why do people post this?

[NaturalHigh]

5. Is there a reason it shouldn't be posted?

Is the subject of faking certain crimes taboo?

[frogcycle]

9. nope, not taboo

getting caught faking finding a finger in your chili is news, too.

It just seems to me that the polarization in society is exaggerated here, particularly of late, with people from both ends of the spectrum breathlessly rushing to report anecdotes that they feel support their position.

I am sure there are several false rape claims per day, also several muggings by members of minorities, several hate crimes against minorities. And several middleaged white guys probably drive intoxicated, and a few of them kill people somewhere in the country.

But every time I log in to DU, I find yet another thread wherein people are being chastised for insensitivity over sexual orientation variations, and others where people are saying see, there are bad gays too!

It's just tiresome. Of course we all know that not every report of a crime, whether hate crime or otherwise, is valid. Of course there are people who are screwed up and seeking attention, or whatever the motivation may be.

Of late I have been just using "hide" for those threads. This response was just from idle curiosity. What's the real mission? Is it really just to make sure we are all as insightful as you, and not blindly accepting everything we hear (DU is just loaded with people who do THAT constantly - NOT) Are you really conducting "critical thinking class" for all us morans? Or do you have some sort of agenda? Are you trying to get your licks in*, showing up a lesbian for being some sort of evil witch?

Sometimes I feel like this is first grade, with whiney kids saying "teeeecher, johnnnyy faaarted!"

*Edit: pun totally unintended

[cali]

6. More interestingly

why do you object to people posting it?

[Igel]

7. Simply put, because the initial reports get

posted, and get a huge number of people assuming that the alleged victim is telling the truth. Call it confirmation bias, call it gullibility, call it what you want.

It serves to maintain scepticism about victims that we so desperately want to believe are telling the truth. It's an important element of critical thinking, one that is too often forgotten.

[Spiffarino]

8. Well said n/t

[aikoaiko]

11. Shouldn't the courts and people be skeptical of all alleged crimes.

Until they have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt?

[dogday]

10. It's called truth and I like to know the truth eom