No Jail For Texas Teen Who Lied About Being Raped By 3 Black Men

[StevieM]

Source: Huffington Post

~snip~

A North Texas teenager who falsely claimed she was kidnapped and raped by three black men last March will likely serve no jail time.

On Thursday, 19-year-old Breana Harmon of Pottsboro pleaded guilty to four felony charges of tampering with physical evidence and government documents in relation to false reports of kidnapping and sexual assault.

“She’s very remorseful for what she did and what she said, and that’s why she decided to plead guilty,” Harmon’s attorney Bob Jarvis told the Sherman Herald Democrat. No suspects were ever identified or arrested in the case.

Harmon will be sentenced March 20. Her plea deal has two possible punishments: regular probation or deferred adjudication, which often involves fulfilling a requirement, such as treatment or community service. Neither involves jail time.

Read more: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/breana-harmon-false-rape-jail_us_5a958207e4b03a8f3a22f390?ncid=edlinkushpmg00000313

[iluvtennis]

1. There should have been jail time. What she did is unacceptable.

[KWR65]

2. Unless a person is violent it is a waste of resources to jail them.

[dsc]

4. she could have gotten a black man killed

by a cop or by vigilantes. She deserves jail.

[KWR65]

5. Could of isn't violent.

[Proud liberal 80]

9. Your comments

Sound like something that I would read from a racist apologist in the comments section of an article

[Liberalagogo]

19. "could of"

Really?

[Aristus]

37. Yeah, and it was right there in the post you were responding to; spelled out for you.

'Could have...'

[iluvtennis]

11. Ditto

[Sherman A1]

6. Agreed

I think for the most part you are correct, there may be an exception here or there, but generally it is a waste of resources. I think a nice community service position involving real physical work would be much more beneficial to all.

[GWC58]

29. Hard labor

I mean physically exhausting hard labor. That might straighten her out, possibly.

[christx30]

20. I'd argue for jail, but I can see why you wouldn't.

But I'd like to see her on some kind of list for the rest of her life. Like "take rape accusations from this woman with a grain of salt" list.
"I was raped by so-and-so." "Sure. But I'm going to need a HELL of a lot more than just your word before I even question this guy or investigate this in anyway. Like notarized statements from 6 witnesses, and the word of God himself."
Or, hell, the sex offenders list.

[Demsrule86]

32. If a person has done something wrong and pays a price- in her case probation and it remains on her

record- I have real problems with the punish them forever meme. If you are not going to allow rehabilitation what is the point? I would imagine if those who committed crimes..(.not all but some )were given a chance, many would turn their lives around. My husband works in manufacturing. His job hires ex-cons. They are extremely grateful for the opportunity to turn their lives around and support their families. Many become loyal workers and give back to the company. Everyone (at least most) deserves a second chance. I am not talking about violent criminals which is a little problematic. In Europe after a certain number of years, non-violent crimes are stricken from a person's record. This person did a horrible thing...and it could have caused the deaths of innocent men of color so I have mixed feelings about her sentence or lack there of...

[christx30]

35. I've seen too many news stories

about people spending 20+ years in prison because someone lied. Some prosecutors don't give a rip about the truth or justice. They want a win. And her actions have the potential to put a tiny doubt into the minds of anyone that takes a rape report. "Is this real? Or is this like that one woman?"
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Banks_(American_football)
What would those guys get if they existed, and the crime was real? Sentence her to that penalty. Make it heard loudly and clearly from one ocean to the other. If you falsely accuse someone of a crime, you will receive the punishment they would receive.

[Demsrule86]

39. I agree with you about what she did...and maybe jail should be included...not sure. I am loath to

lock up non-violent offenders but the point is after the punishment is meted out and the debt to society is paid...are we going to make the person pay for their entire life?

[christx30]

40. If they identified someone, and he was convicted,

he would have paid for the rest of his life. 20+ years in prison, difficulty getting a job afterwards.
But if not an actual penalty, just a "society doesn't trust you anymore" thing. Put information about her everywhere, let everyone know she did this. Make it be the first link that comes up any time someone puts her name into Google. Background checks for colleges and jobs. Any potential boyfriend that googles her before asking her out. I know if I encountered a woman that I knew of that had done something like this, I would steer clear of her.

[Demsrule86]

41. You would be wise to do so.

[cstanleytech]

18. What's? So the taxpayers can pay for her? Hell no, give her probation though for 10 to 20 years.

[ProfessorGAC]

44. I'd Start A Tad Harsher

I like your idea, but ankle monitor and house arrest for a year or so. Then the probation. Prison does seem too much and too expensive, but making someone stay in the house for a year would be some punishment more than just probation. (Not that long term probation would be a cakewalk.)

[guillaumeb]

3. She is very remorseful.

Her lawyer said so.

[Dream Girl]

7. Something very similar happened in NY a while back

If one of the guys had not filmed the encounter o his phone, they would still be in prison. She later admitted it was a lie, she just regretted being with three black guys I guess. Women usually don’t lie about rape but on rare occasions they do

[LisaL]

13. In this particular case there wasn't anything to film. The whole thing was made up.

[irisblue]

8. And the damage she did to the AA community

Does that get a pass?

[Freethinker65]

10. Community service....to the community she accused

[McCamy Taylor]

26. A good idea.

[NBachers]

12. Long as she keeps the four felony charges on her record - I don't agree with deferred adjudication

in this case.

[kimbutgar]

14. She should be sued in civil court for damages by the 3 innocent men.

[Phoenix61]

15. There were no identified men. nt

[ornotna]

16. From what I've read

And I could be wrong. I don't think there was anyone picked up as suspects. She still needs to apologize to the AA community.

[Judi Lynn]

17. Very odd way to waste everyone's time, while trying to attack a whole lot of people.

Why there isn't a sensible penalty for this is a dirty crime, itself.

[Dan]

21. As a Black male

You have no idea how offensive I find this....

[safeinOhio]

25. This grumpy old White male

finds this offensive and sick.

She should be the poster child for White Privilege.

[Bengus81]

28. As a white male I'm stating she needs some real punishment for this....

Not this good ole' boy Texas BS and all is forgotten.

[Docreed2003]

30. I can not even imagine...

This whole story is sick and her motivation to tear down and attack an entire community is sick, and that’s being kind...

[Blue_Tires]

43. +1000

[montana_hazeleyes]

22. I feel this way. When she made this accusation,

every black man in America was made suspect. Even though no one was named, it still put all black men in more danger than they already are.

This pisses me off to no end!

[JI7]

23. Trump thinks there still needs to be 3 black guys who need to be put to death for this

[bucolic_frolic]

24. 3 to 6 months at minimum

There is a difference between remorse, being sorry, and deeply understanding the reasons, motivations, and implications of such criminal behavior. Light sentences reward the antisocial personality. This is an abomination.

[Bengus81]

27. Make her do a segment for local TV and apologize about how she LIED and used blacks to jin up the BS

Give her at least 10 years Probation and play that apology at prime time. There needs to be some kind of punishment here,not just a "I'm remorseful" now I'll see you later,time to partyyyyyy.

[GWC58]

31. Okay, but make it 10 years of

Supervised probation. That includes seeing a probation officer once a week, no alcohol, no drugs, prescription, or otherwise. And, this might sound cruel, if she has some pain that might call for Narcotics the judge should say “nope! There are other effective ways, that don’t require narcotics, for relief. Take some aspirin and tough it out.” Cruel? Maybe. Unusual? I don’t think so.

[StevieM]

38. I agree that she needs to be punished...but no medication if she's sick? Really?

What if her appendix has to come out? Or if she needs chemotherapy?

You are joking here, right?

[GWC58]

42. If its really serious then, sure

Maybe, in my zest, I took it too far.

[malthaussen]

33. Sentence her to marry Martin Shkreli.

He's remorseful, too, but assures us he's a good person anyway. Made for each other.

-- Mal

[moriah]

34. What would they have done if an innocent person had been arrested?

I think she needs either jail or psychiatric commitment.

Even if police realized she was lying fast, she contributed to the climate that paints people who aren't perfectly pale as more likely to commit a crime.

And she could have been responsible for egging people on to either take freedom from innocents through "legal" avenues, or vigilante violence.

Regardless of the fact this ended far better than it could have, she should be punished for it more than a slap on the wrist. Her lies could have made those people run outside, find the nearest black guy, and if she says she only claimed rape by nodding yes to the question, pretty damn sure she'd have nodded that the random dude was involved.

[Blue_Tires]

36. Whiteness at work...

All because she didn't want to tell mom about some ripped jeans

[sarcasmo]

45. BS Judge