A Lincoln, Nebraska woman who claimed three men broke into her home and physically assaulted her because she was a lesbian, only to be convicted of faking the attack, was sentenced Thursday to a week in jail and two years’ probation.
Charlie Rogers, a former University of Nebraska basketball star, maintains the attack happened last July, despite evidence — or rather, the lack of evidence — to the contrary. Police were unable to find signs of forced entry, or blood on the bed where she was allegedly cut. Also, a forensic scientist determined that the cuts were self-inflicted.
“The evidence is overwhelming that Charlie Rogers’ narrative on 22 July, 2012 was an incredible and outrageous lie the second it passed her lips,” said presiding judge Gale Pokorny.
Rogers had posted a suspicious message on Facebook prior to the attack — “So maybe I am too idealistic, but I believe way deep inside me that we can make things better for everyone. I will be a catalyst. I will do what it takes. I will. Watch me.” — which ultimately sealed her fate.
At the time, Lincoln was in the midst of a heated debate over an ordinance that would ban LGBT discrimination.
“It exploded in her face,” Pokorny said. “Ms. Rogers has single-handedly managed to do a disservice to her cause of enormous proportion. For a long, long time to come, when a gay makes a legitimate complaint about unequal treatment or discrimination, there will be a knee-jerk reaction among many.”
Well, when a gay does make a legitimate complaint, there are probably going to be a lot of jerks involved judging from that comment alone. But anyway, in addition to the week in prison and two years probation, Rogers is also expected to serve 250 hours community service and complete a psychiatric exam.
jwrappaport
Boys (or girls, as it were) who cry wolf should be endlessly shamed and punished much more severely than this woman was. They do incredible damage to the cause of gay equality and vindicate our opponents’ objections to hate crime laws.
She should have to wear a “God Hates Fags” sign as part of her community service.
MuscleModelBlog.com
Does anyone think that the sentence was a little odd? 1 week in jail, 2 years probation, 250 hours community service plus a psychiatric exam? It sounds like a minimal amount of time in jail compared to such a long probation / long time required to complete the community service.
Merv
She should have rotted in prison for at least five years, as far as I’m concerned. At the very least, she should never be able to show her face in the community again. She’s a traitor.
bledoutcolor
A week in jail? She should have gotten a year at least. Not more than a year and a half tho. That seems extreme. Filing false police reports, especially on hate crimes, is a SERIOUS offense. What if innocent men had been convicted by police and a jury blinded by empathy who didn’t look objectively at the case. And what of ACTUAL gay bashings and victims of hate? Makes it harder to prosecute and spreads homophobia.
She should be jailed for a year or slightly more and publicly shunned and shamed by every gay and straight ally in the country. Disgusting.
balehead
Only a week? If this was a man (gay or straight) he would have gotten aleast a year…
Cam
So once again, another post on somebody who faked a gay bashing and yet nothing on the recent reports on NOM’s continual losing in court, continuing to fight revealing the identity of their 2 major donors etc…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/darrin-hurwitz/in-maine-the-national-organization-for-marriage-fights-for-its-own-survival-as-marriage-equality-reigns_b_3094925.html