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Here's an interesting story: (you may have to sign in, so I'll cut and past here) - From the Sacramento Bee today
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/crime/story/14251892p-15068130c.html

Woman recants claim of '91 sexual assault
At hearing ordered by appeals court, she tells judge that Eric Knapp was wrongly convicted.
By Ramon Coronado -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Friday, May 5, 2006
Story appeared in Metro section, Page B2

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Eric Charles Knapp, a former National Guard military police officer who was convicted of rape and sexual assault in 1993, returns to court Tuesday as one of his accusers now claims he was wrongly convicted.
Sacramento Bee/José Luis Villegas

Thirteen years ago a Sacramento Superior Court jury wrongly convicted a former National Guard military police officer of sexual assault, according to the victim.
In a rare hearing ordered by a state appeals court, the woman this week recanted what she originally told law enforcement in 1991 and later a jury.

"I wasn't hurt or forced," the 36-year-old woman said of an alleged Aug. 4, 1991, abduction by Eric Charles Knapp.

Knapp, who was also convicted in the same trial of raping another woman the previous year, was sentenced to 98 years in prison for the two attacks.

During two hours of testimony Tuesday, the woman said she lied because she had a drinking problem at the time and liked the attention she was receiving. She accused investigators of embellishing details of her attack, and said she thought she was helping officers lock up a serial rapist.
"I said these things to get attention and for people to feel sorry for me," the woman testified.

Yet, when questioned about her motive for changing her story, the woman admitted to having exchanged at least 50 letters with Knapp over three years while he has been in prison.

"I was bored. I was fascinated with prison life," the woman said of her correspondence with Knapp.

She said she has talked with Knapp's mother, sister and his fiancée over the telephone more than dozen times. The three women sat in the audience Tuesday weeping.

"I'm here today because I want to tell the truth. I feel sorry for a person suffering for a crime they had not committed," the woman said.

"I apologize," she said to Knapp, 38, who dabbed a tear from his eye as she spoke.

Marilee Marshall of Los Angeles, who is representing Knapp, is attempting to convince a judge that her client's conviction should be set aside because the sexual assault contaminated the rape case. The sexual assault alone carries a 12-year sentence.

In cross-examination Tuesday by Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney Albert Locher, the woman admitted to running to a nearby house to seek help immediately after the attack.

Reading from police reports taken at the time, Locher said the woman told officers she believed she had been raped and sexually assaulted.

"I could have said that," the woman said.

"Were you shaking and breathing hard?" Locher asked.

"Yes," the woman said.

Judge Cheryl Chun Meegan, who presided over the one-day hearing, is expected to rule after June 26, when attorneys will submit arguments in writing.

According to the woman's testimony in 1993, she was working for a pizza parlor hanging advertisements on doors when Knapp stopped her while she was discarding a bunch of fliers in a trash bin.

Knapp told her he worked for the company and was going to report her. She got in his car and tried to talk him out of reporting her. But Knapp grabbed her and sexually assaulted her, the woman testified in 1993. She managed to honk the horn to get the attention of people in the area and escaped.

The other victim, who was 24 at the time of the attack, testified during the trial in 1993 that Knapp stalked her for about two weeks before breaking into her Citrus Heights home.

Neighbors of the victim wrote down the license plate number of a suspicious car that later was matched to Knapp's car.

The 24-year-old victim testified she was raped while a masked man held a knife to her throat during most of the 40-minute attack. She said she was scared "not only for myself, but for my 7-year-old sister who was in next room."

Knapp testified during the trial that he met the 24-year-old woman earlier that night and that she was attracted to him because she had sexual fantasies involving military police officers.

In Tuesday's testimony, the woman who recanted her story said Knapp asked for a kiss in exchange for not turning her in and then grabbed her hand.

She declined the kiss and offered a hug, and then she broke free, she said.

"I was coerced while making my statements," the woman said of investigators.

"There's too much added detail," she said of her statements in police reports.

Shortly after the 1993 trial, the woman said she learned of the lengthy sentence and was shocked.

Locher asked the woman why she was surprised at the 98-year sentence.

"That's a death sentence," the woman replied.

"Mr. Knapp should have received psychological help and never (been) sent to prison," she said.

About the writer:
The Bee's Ramon Coronado can be reached at (916) 321-1191 or rcoronado@sacbee.com.