George Mason University's
History News Network
HNN Teacher's Edition
Family of Tawana Brawley wants to reopen rape case
  • share

SOURCE: AP (11-19-07)

Twenty years after her accusations of a racially charged rape became a national flash point and made the Rev. Al Sharpton a national figure, Tawana Brawley's mother and stepfather want to reopen the case, a newspaper reported yesterday.

Glenda Brawley and Ralph King want to press New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and state Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo to re-examine the reported November 1987 incident, which a state grand jury concluded was a hoax, according to the Daily News.

"New York state owes my daughter. They owe her the truth," said Mrs. Brawley. She reiterated her stance that her daughter was raped by a group of white men who smeared her with feces and scrawled racial epithets on her body.

Representatives for Mr. Spitzer and Mr. Cuomo did not respond to weekend telephone and e-mail messages.
Source: 
AP
Source URL: 
http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20071119/NATION/111190031/1002/NATION
Date: 
11-19-07

Are you serious?

Submitted by lisakaz on Wed, 2007-11-21 11:06.
Didn't Tawana herself flee the state, if not the country, when the hoax was outed? Didn't one of the accused by Sharpton win a judgement against him for defamation (that Rev. Al hasn't paid)? Yeah, let's reopen -- so that ALL the liars can be charged with criminal offences. Seems to be a lot of liars could be charged -- and would include your daughter, Mrs. Brawley.

Re: Are you serious?

Submitted by vernon clayson on Thu, 2007-11-22 01:17.
I agree with Ms, Kazmier, I think it would be great if they revisit the case. Al Sharpton's career as a race baiter commenced with this case and it would be great to see him try to weasel his way out of his participation at the time with all the light that has been shown on the case since it first came to our attention in 1987. Ms. Brawley would surely be embarassed and shamed having to stand next to Al Sharpton while he rehashes the fanciful charge that she was smeared with feces and raped by white men. Al Sharpton wouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed, he has no shame, he would somehow relate it to Jena and the almost uncountable incidents he blames on racists like Don Imus. Larry King would jump on the bandwagon and give Sharpton an audience, Chris Matthews would blame it on the Republicans, Oprah would weep at the injustice.