Washington Post: Man Convicted of Rape in 1976 is Cleared by DNA Retesting

goodmod · 2019-03-15T05:52:02+00:00

Here is a subreddit that provides support for survivors of false accusations

lostapwbm · 2019-03-15T04:01:34+00:00

A former Fairfax County, Va., man convicted of rape in 1976 and imprisoned for 4½ years despite conflicting physical evidence and multiple alibi witnesses has had his conviction erased by the Virginia Supreme Court.

How can this possibly be? I was assured that America was a 'rape culture.'

The rape occurred in July 1975, around 4:30 a.m., at an apartment in Reston, Va. A woman told police that she was awoken by a man standing next to her bed with a flashlight, and that she presumed he entered and left the apartment through an unlocked balcony door. She did not get a good look at her attacker in the dark but helped the police create a composite sketch of him. Two months later, Fairfax County police received a tip that Scott might be the assailant. Detectives placed his photo in a lineup, and the victim picked him out. At trial, she again identified Scott in the courtroom.

Wait for it...

Investigators recovered semen from the victim’s body and jeans she wore after the attack. But in 1975 all that could be determined from the semen was a blood type. A test found it was “Type A” blood. Scott was “Type O.” But the state crime lab did a second test later in 1975 and determined the semen was “Type O” — the same type as Scott. A state forensic expert said the first test might have been contaminated by bacteria, necessitating a second test.

How do you know the second test wasn't contaminated?

Scott was 19 years old in July 1975. He took the witness stand at his trial in January 1976 and testified that he had helped a friend paint a house belonging to the friend’s parents, spent the night there, then woke up the next morning and resumed painting the house. The house was more than four miles from the victim’s apartment, and Scott did not have a car. The friend and both of his parents corroborated Scott’s story at trial.

Three people alibied Mr. Scott. Surely, justice will be done in this case.

A Fairfax jury convicted Scott and sentenced him to 13 years for rape and carnal knowledge, and one year for burglary. He was paroled after serving four years and seven months

Or not.

#BelieveWomen: It's the surest route to put innocent men in prison.

2019-03-15T11:09:20+00:00

For 53 years an innocent man had the spectre of a rape accusation hanging over his life.

SirYouAreIncorrect · 2019-03-15T23:18:15+00:00

Everytime I read one of these stories I wonder how many men will never be cleared.... I bet the number is very very high...

Remember the #believerher movement has been around far far longer than Twitter

Title	Washington Post: Man Convicted of Rape in 1976 is Cleared by DNA Retesting
Author	lostapwbm
Upvotes	45
Comments	5
Date	March 15, 2019 3:57 AM UTC (7 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/b1a5dt/washington_post_man_convicted_of_rape_in_1976_is/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/washington-post-man-convicted-of-rape-in-1976-is.881652 https://theredarchive.com/post/881652

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