DURHAM, N.C. (CNN) – Crystal Mangum, the woman who accused three Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006, has now admitted that her claims were false.
In a recent podcast interview conducted at the North Carolina women’s prison, where she is serving time for a 2013 second-degree murder conviction, Mangum confessed that she fabricated the story for validation. She stated that the players did not deserve the accusations and expressed hope that they would forgive her.
This admission comes nearly two decades after Mangum first claimed that she was sexually assaulted by the players, leading to their arrests and sparking national controversy. However, the charges against the players were eventually dropped, and the case was dismissed.
To date, Duke Athletics, the university, the school’s president, the head coach of the men’s lacrosse team at the time, and the three players involved have not publicly commented on Mangum’s recantation.