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High School Football Star Wrongfully Accused Of Rape Found Innocent

A Facebook friend request set the wheels in motion for Brian Banks to be cleared of rape 10 years after he was accused by former high school classmate Wanetta Gibson and had already spent five years in prison.
Brian Banks was a promising high school football prospect out of Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, Calif., and had a scholarship from the University of Southern California when Gibson, then 15, accused the then-17-year-old banks of raping her.
"We went into an area on campus that is known as a makeout spot, we kissed, we groped we touched, but we never had sex. We ended things on a good note. I went back to class, by the end of the day I was in custody," Banks, now 26, told KABC in Los Angeles.
Banks faced a maximum sentence of life in prison, and instead of risking the possibility of being behind bars for life, his attorney suggested he plead guilty.
"She told me I was a big black teenager and no jury would believe anything I said," Banks told KABC.
Banks got out of prison five years later and Gibson received $1.5 million from Long Beach city schools in a civil suit claiming a lack of security was partly responsible for the alleged rape.
Brian Banks was exonerated Thursday and the reason was Gibson sent a Facebook friend request to him.
Banks asked why Gibson would send such a request after accusing him of rape and ruining his life.
Gibson wrote back, "I figured you and I could let bygones be bygones. I was immature then, but I'm much more mature now."
Gibson pledged to help Banks clear his name, but she was reluctant to reiterate her story to prosecutors because she didn't want to give back the $1.5 million civil judgment awarded to her.
"'I will go through with helping you but it's like at the same time all that money they gave us, I mean gave me, I don't want to have to pay it back," Gibson told Banks at one of their meetings, which Banks recorded, according to CBS News.
The new evidence in the case led the California Innocence Project, which defends prisoners they believe were either wrongly convicted or innocent, to take up the case of Brian Banks.
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge reversed the conviction Thursday against Banks.
"My only dream in the world is just to be free," Banks said after the ruling, the Los Angeles Times reported.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/345481/20120525/brian-banks-wanetta...

Tags: B******, Raggedy

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Permalink Reply by Brii on May 29, 2012 at 1:59pm

I know I'm late but I just read this today

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Permalink Reply by Tone © on May 29, 2012 at 2:00pm

Some women are sick

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Permalink Reply by Ms. BoiBye on May 29, 2012 at 2:10pm

He better than me, cuz I would be back in jail. She ruined his life ans then said I didn't want to give the money back.From the latest reports she may not have to return the money. I swear I would sue the s*** out of her, her momma (she was a minor so her mom took the money), the school, and the state! They ruined his damn life. He was supposed to go to college on a scholorship and had a promising future.

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Permalink Reply by Baller Alert on May 29, 2012 at 2:13pm

He need to kill that lawyer... and whoever told him to plead guilty to something he didn't do.

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Permalink Reply by Tone © on May 29, 2012 at 2:16pm

you know they gave that boy a bs lawyer.
Baller Alert said:

He need to kill that lawyer... and whoever told him to plead guilty to something he didn't do.

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Permalink Reply by Brii on May 29, 2012 at 2:42pm

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/26/brian-banks-seeks-c...

The former high-school football star and USC recruit who was jailed based on false testimony wants a shot at the NFL. Brian Banks also seeks compensation for his wrongful imprisonment.
According to the Associated Press, Banks will seek $100 per day for every day of his five-year imprisonment from the state of California. It’s a sum less than $200,000 — a far cry from fair compensation for five years behind bars.
Per the report, Banks won’t sue his accuser, Wanetta Gibson. She recanted her claim of kidnapping and rape, allowing Banks to be fully cleared of all wrongdoing. Prosecutors have no immediate plans to pursue criminal charges against Gibson, but the door hasn’t been closed.

*** I would sue the s*** out of her too, and have my whole family beat her ass.. What did her dumbass do with her money?

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Permalink Reply by London Bridges on May 29, 2012 at 2:54pm

Is he serious?????????????? $100 a day???? This kid needs a lawyer and a couple million for the years spent in prison. The Gibson girl needs to be arrested and he definitely needs to sue her family....

Brii said:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/26/brian-banks-seeks-c...

The former high-school football star and USC recruit who was jailed based on false testimony wants a shot at the NFL. Brian Banks also seeks compensation for his wrongful imprisonment.
According to the Associated Press, Banks will seek $100 per day for every day of his five-year imprisonment from the state of California. It’s a sum less than $200,000 — a far cry from fair compensation for five years behind bars.
Per the report, Banks won’t sue his accuser, Wanetta Gibson. She recanted her claim of kidnapping and rape, allowing Banks to be fully cleared of all wrongdoing. Prosecutors have no immediate plans to pursue criminal charges against Gibson, but the door hasn’t been closed.

*** I would sue the s*** out of her too, and have my whole family beat her ass.. What did her dumbass do with her money?

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Permalink Reply by BlkButtafly on May 29, 2012 at 3:17pm

Smh this is a damn shame. Then she had the nerve to state that she doesn't want to have to give the money back?! They should make her pay it back...or better yet make her pay him!