Tawana Brawley at a press conference in 1987
Posted on 11/27/2006 5:54:55 AM PST by yankeedame
Tawana Brawley
Tawana Brawley at a press conference in 1987
Tawana Brawley (born 1972) was a 15-year-old African-American female who received national attention in the U.S. after claiming she was raped by six white men, some of them police officers, on November 28, 1987 in the village of Wappingers Falls, New York.
Despite the lack of any evidence, the alleged incident soon became a media sensation, championed by Reverend Al Sharpton, and attorneys Alton H. Maddox and C. Vernon Mason.
The case was thrown out by a grand jury in October 1988, who cited a lack of evidence. Sharpton, Maddox, and Mason were later successfully sued for statements made in connection with the case, and ordered to pay $345,000 in damages.
Origins of the case
The scenario began on Saturday, November 28, 1987 when Brawley, who had been missing for four days, was found lying conscious but unresponsive in a garbage bag several feet away from an apartment she had once lived in, her clothing torn and burned, her body smeared with feces. She was taken to the emergency room, where various slurs and epithets were discovered written on her torso with a black substance described as charcoal
A detective from the Sheriff's Juvenile Aid Bureau, among others, was summoned to interview Brawley, but she remained unresponsive. The family requested a black officer, which the police granted. Brawley, described as having an "extremely spacey" look on her face, communicated with this officer with nods of the head, shrugs of the shoulder, and written notes.
The interview lasted 20 minutes, during which she uttered only one word: "neon." Through gestures and writing, however, she indicated that she had been raped repeatedly in a wooded area by three white men, at least one of them a police officer. A rape kit was administered, and police began building a case.
Public response
Public response to Brawley's story was at first mostly sympathetic.
Bill Cosby, among others, pledged support for her. Articles about Brawley captured headlines across the US. Public rallies were held denouncing the incident. However, racial tensions also climbed, and when up-and-coming civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, with attorneys Alton H. Maddox and C. Vernon Mason, began handling Brawley's publicity, the case quickly took on an explosive edge.
Under the wing of Sharpton, Maddox, and Mason, a full-fledged media sensation was born. The three claimed that the entire case was a coverup going all the way up to the state government.
They named New York prosecutor Steven Pagones specifically, calling him a racist and a rapist, among other accusations.
Tawana Brawley, her mother Glenda
and the Rev. Al Sharpton enter a Queens courthouse.
Grand jury hearings
By the time of the grand jury hearings, six men had been accused of rape. After seven months of examining police and medical records, the jury determined there was not enough evidence to charge the suspects for a crime.
In the decision, the grand jury noted many inconsistencies in Brawley's story. Among these were the results of the rape kit, which did not indicate sexual assault. Also, despite her claim of having been held captive for days, Brawley was not suffering from exposure, was well nourished, and appeared to have brushed her teeth recently. There were no burns on her body, despite her clothing being charred. A shoe she was wearing was cut through, yet she had sustained no injuries to her foot.
Testimony from her schoolmates indicated that she attended a local party during the time of her supposed abduction, and one witness claimed to have observed Brawley climbing into the garbage bag. An ex-boyfriend of Brawley's told Newsday that Brawley had admitted making the attack up.
A total of 180 witnesses were called during the hearings. Brawley herself never testified.
Aftermath
Brawley and her mother had both been subpoenaed to testify in front of the grand jury, and refused to do so. This may have prompted Brawley and her family to move hastily to Virginia, taking with them a "defense fund" of $300,000, which had been contributed by well-wishers.
There is still an outstanding warrant against the two for ignoring the subpoena, and they are subject to arrest in New York state should they ever decide to return.
The case still lingers over Sharpton, particularly following his entry into mainstream politics (his race for the 2004 Democratic Presidential nomination entailed his addressing the convention from its podium), not merely because he defended Brawley's story but for the unfounded accusations he leveled, and, according to some of his critics, his "playing the race card".
Maddox was later disbarred after being accused of billing and abandoning clients in an unrelated series of incidents.
In 1998 Pagones was awarded $345,000 (he sought $150 million) in suit for a defamation of character that he brought against Sharpton, Maddox, and Mason.
Maintaining innocence
Brawley maintains she did not invent the story, and she still has supporters. Sharpton has never apologized to Pagones for naming him a perpetrator.
In 1998 Pagones was awarded $345,000 (he sought $150 million) in suit for a defamation of character that he brought against Sharpton, Maddox, and Mason.
Was it paid?
Does the Rearend Al own his own clothes yet? I remember hearing that he could not pay his fine and did not own his own suits. Somehow the press `forgot' to ask about that when he ran for President.
What ever happened to this delightful piece of human debris? Wasn't she involved in some prostitution also? What a black mark on civil rights, and that race hustler Sharpton got away with all his lies.
By the way, where does Sharpton have his church? Same place the Rev. JACKsooon has his? Up his butt??????
Fat Al Sharpton is not a "Reverend" ... he is a race-baiting political huckster and a media whore. Je$$e Jack$on is the same thing.
Gee, I wonder if the state of New York was ever reimbursed by Shapton and Co. for the time and money it lost because of this bogus 'trial'.
Bizarre but everyone knows all of their names.
I believe "AL" finally paid up -(with his campaign money)
when he was running for president- remember that?-
loads of laughs those Demonrats-having a race hustler with
no college or poltical experience - owing money to people
he slandered- I believe Tawana B. was finally fingered for
her lies- (an ex boyfriend helped build that rediculous
story) but who cares?- Hillary/Skerry-the rest of the
Demonrats- think Al is just fine.
He's still waiting to be paid!
Every time I see Sarpton, it makes me laugh out loud. The song "Bring in the Clowns" comes to mind....Sharpton looks like one....all he needs is a big red ball for a nose, and he would be complete.
How Sharpton rose from being a bum to being a bum invited to the dem convention.
Because of his lie he is now taken as an official spokesperson whenever there is a real or alleged racial incident.
"The current state of fear by the authorities of the race hustlers in this country is worst than McCarthyism ever was."
Dang. Well put.
The famous Tawana Brawley quote:
"No one manipsinates me or my family."
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