VIDEO: Video Clears Two Detroit Police Officers After Rape Accusation
A pregnant woman accused two Detroit officers of rape, but patrol car video tells a different story, reports WXYZ.
It was 5:30 am on the streets of Detroit, when two Detroit police officers from the 10th precinct responded to a call of a disturbance. They came across a woman who said she was pregnant and needed a lift across town.
From the area of Livernois and Grand River to the east side of Detroit, the woman is seen riding in the backseat of the patrol car for a total of 18 miles.
"After they dropped her off, she then claimed they had raped her," says Detroit Police Officers Association President Mark Diaz.
At the hospital, a thorough exam known as a "rape kit" was administered. A registered nurse documented no sign of injury or trauma.
Still, the accusation quickly led to an internal investigation. Detectives go back to the surveillance video. From inside the police car, the entire ride is once again closely reviewed. There are no signs of distress or any complaints.
Then, within 24 hours, after learning of the in-car video, the woman made yet another statement where she admitted no sexual assault took place.
The woman later said she was under the influence of alcohol and under medication for a serious mental condition. She apologized for making up the whole story and potentially destroying the lives of those officers.
"The allegation itself is damning, what it does to a person's credibility just to be accused of something," says Diaz. "We don't always have cameras there to provide it, but in this case we do."
