Tuesday, January 31, 2006

J'Accuse!

Recently a 15 year old girl reported to police that she was kidnapped and gang raped. The police immediately started searching for the assailants, an attempt to ensure that justice is done and that the perpetrators were punished for committing such a heinous and disgusting act.

A few days later, the girl recanted her story. She said that she made it up. Created it out of thin air, like Harvey the Rabbit (ask your parents). The police response was to arrest the girl for filing a false police report. The rationale? She committed a crime. "We regret, it's unfortunate it had to come to this, but she (the 15-year old) has to know there are consequences for lying. When people make false reports for aggravated assault, they go to jail," said a police spokesperson.

That makes sense, don't you think? A person commits a crime. That person gets caught. That person then gets punished. Isn't that how the system is supposed to work?

On the other hand, the girl's mother had a different suggestion. She concludes that the girl didn't lie about being raped. Instead, she lied about the identity of the men. She says that the men were adults, and the girl was 15 - there was no way she could consent to sex. "She need (sic) counseling. The girl cries herself to sleep every night. You think she need (sic) to be arrested?"

I don't really see a problem with this argument, either. I think these are two valid arguments stemming from the situation. I would probably lean towards the arrest, and then a light sentence at trial, if the facts are as they are. She did lie in a police report, according to the information available here, and that does warrant punishment or counseling.

Here's the real problem, though, and the one that I think really hurts the mom's argument is her suggested reason that the police arrested her daughter. It's not because the daughter filed a false report, rather it's because the police are "embarrassed," and are trying to humiliate her daughter (she was arrested at school). It's not on the link above, but she made mention of it on the report last night on the news. She suggests that the police are embarrassed that they went off and searched and didn't know enough and now they're embarrassed that they've been made to look bad.

The police did their job and zealously searched according to a formal complaint filed by a minor alleging sexual assault. The report was false. The police are wrong, according to the mother, for charging the person who made the report, because they shouldn't have done their job so zealously. Does that make any sense at all? Look at it from a different perspective. What if the girl had made the report and the police delayed their search, and kept asking for more details, more information? Police often have to carry on their searches on incomplete information. Had they delayed, they'd have heard cries of outrage from the mother as well as the community. They would have been accused of not helping the girl who needs the help, et cetera.

I empathize with the mother's position. I don't think she's right with her assertion. I think that she has misdirected her ire, and instead of getting mad at the police for doing their job, she should be mad at her daughter for lying to the police in the first place.

5 comments:

red.hot.mamma! said...

That family need help.

Junie B said...

i found your blog off of Matthews where he talked about lamb chops and you mentioned Fogo.

wondered if you were in houston, and then i saw the story here and i knew i was right!

i am in houston as well, but never been to fogo cause i just know i couldnt eat enough to warrant the cost!

Steve said...

Well, welcome to the Binjo Ditch, Junebug! We're always happy to have someone stop by, and we hope you choose to come back often.

We went to Fogo for my wife's company holiday dinner. It was far too expensive for any casual dining - it'll have to be a real event, like getting elected judge, or something, for me to be able to justify going back on my own dime, but the food was outstanding. If you ever have the opportunity, and a few hundred extra dollars lying around, I highly recommend it!

English Professor said...

I'm torn. Yes, the mother's anger is misdirected--the police handled the initial report as they should have. I'm not sure why they arrested her at school instead of at home, unless they're making her a public example. Did mom know that daughter was having sex with men? Are police going to pursue statuatory rape charges? redhot is of course correct--the family definitely needs help.

Michelle said...

The police makes arressts at schools here, they also pick up the kids and take them to court too. However, it's not as obvious as it sounds, all are in plain clothing and the police car is unmarked. I can't envisage the mother being correct in what she states about the cops being emarrassed. As for the young girl, if there was no rape at all, and she did infact have sex with adult men, it would go to court and the charges would be unlawful carnal knowledge. If she lied about the whole thing, she'd wind up in childrens court and face charges.