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Brian Banks, football player exonerated in rape case, signs with Atlanta Falcons
CBS News ^ | April 3, 2013, 10:18 AM

Posted on 04/03/2013 12:11:48 PM PDT by Pan_Yan

ATLANTA Brian Banks said signing with the Atlanta Falcons is his second-biggest accomplishment.

The biggest was Banks' exoneration of rape charges one year ago.

Banks, 27, signed with the Falcons on Wednesday, giving him an opportunity he said he did not believe would be possible when he spent five years in prison and five years on probation following his conviction of rape and kidnapping charges a decade ago.

"I felt at the time in order for me to exit prison with a sane mind and be able to just function as a person I had to let go of certain dreams and goals I once held in life, football being one of them," Banks said.

Banks said he "couldn't have asked for a better place to be" than with the Falcons.

"I can't believe this is happening," he said. "It's surreal."

Banks was a 16-year-old junior and had made a verbal commitment to sign with Southern Cal when Wanetta Gibson, a Long Beach Poly high school classmate accused him of the rape.

Gibson recanted her claim and offered to help Banks clear his name after he was out of prison. That helped lead to the conviction being overturned by a California court and Banks' record cleared on May 12, 2012.

Banks' original defense attorney, Elizabeth Harris, declined to talk to "60 Minutes" as did Gibson, who has not returned the money she won in her lawsuit.

(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS:
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Fascinating story for those who haven't heard it. If you do a search on him and read his full story it's amazing that he holds no grudges or bitterness. I'm glad someone is giving him a chance.
1 posted on 04/03/2013 12:11:48 PM PDT by Pan_Yan
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To: Pan_Yan

The NFL should be proud fielding this “accused” rapist. He can join Worthlessberger as a couple of “accused” rapists that still get to make the big bucks. All they gotta’ do is whatever the NFL tells them.


2 posted on 04/03/2013 12:13:56 PM PDT by laweeks
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To: Perdogg

Of interest ping.


3 posted on 04/03/2013 12:14:13 PM PDT by Pan_Yan (I love it when spell check selects every single word in my post.)
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To: laweeks

And the Non-Rapist Tebow continues to be disparaged....


4 posted on 04/03/2013 12:20:38 PM PDT by Sioux-san
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To: Pan_Yan

This fellow may indeed be innocent, but even given that, it seems to be that the only organizations with moral standards even lower than the democratic party is professional sports.


5 posted on 04/03/2013 12:21:05 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: laweeks

Did you even read the article??? Good grief. Here is what it says so read it instead of jumping to stupid conclusions:

“Banks was a 16-year-old junior and had made a verbal commitment to sign with Southern Cal when Wanetta Gibson, a Long Beach Poly high school classmate, accused him of the rape.

Gibson recanted her claim and offered to help Banks clear his name after he was out of prison. That helped lead to the conviction being overturned by a California court and Banks’ record cleared on May 12, 2012.”

He went to prison for a false accusation that was later recanted by the “alleged victim.” This is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING like Roethlisberger...


6 posted on 04/03/2013 12:21:41 PM PDT by Wyatt's Torch (I can explain it to you. I can't understand it for you.)
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To: Da Coyote

Oops, that’s “organization”, not “organizations”.

Gotta stop typing in the brief moments when one of my sims ends and I’ve gotta reprogram.


7 posted on 04/03/2013 12:22:02 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: laweeks

I’m afraid I don’t understand your comment. This man was a 16 year old boy when he was wrongly accused and sent to prison. His accuser later admitted she lied and he was completely cleared by the courts. He doesn’t deserve a chance to make a living because someone falsely accused him 10 years ago?


8 posted on 04/03/2013 12:22:10 PM PDT by Pan_Yan (I love it when spell check selects every single word in my post.)
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To: Wyatt's Torch
He went to prison for a false accusation that was later recanted by the “alleged victim.” This is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING like Roethlisberger..

Sorry . . . I just saw rape and immediately thought of Worthlesberger . . . I'm a Browns' fan.

9 posted on 04/03/2013 12:23:21 PM PDT by laweeks
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To: Pan_Yan

Don’t try and let facts intervene with yet another Free Republic temper tantrum because they didn’t read the article and jumped to a wrongful conclusion...


10 posted on 04/03/2013 12:23:29 PM PDT by Wyatt's Torch (I can explain it to you. I can't understand it for you.)
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To: laweeks
I'm a Browns' fan.

Oh, well that explains everything.

(It's a joke)

11 posted on 04/03/2013 12:25:10 PM PDT by Pan_Yan (I love it when spell check selects every single word in my post.)
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To: laweeks

It appears that a girl accused him of rape and ruined his life so her family could win the lawsuit lottery suing the school in which she claimed she was raped. Later, feeling guilty, she went and saw Banks in prison and admitted to fabricating the story (not knowing she was being taped).


12 posted on 04/03/2013 12:25:29 PM PDT by RightOnTheBorder
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To: Pan_Yan
I’m afraid I don’t understand your comment.

Sorry . . . knee jerk response . . . saw the word "rape" and instantly thought of Worthlessberger. Mea Culpa . . . Mea Maxima Culpa!

13 posted on 04/03/2013 12:25:34 PM PDT by laweeks
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To: laweeks

Oh and Big Ben is a giant ass... ;-) My inlaws lived in that area in Georgia where his “issues” came up. There are countless other stories of him acting like a asshat.


14 posted on 04/03/2013 12:25:49 PM PDT by Wyatt's Torch (I can explain it to you. I can't understand it for you.)
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To: laweeks
Mea Maxima Culpa!

Apology accepted. Of course you're still going to get thrashed by twenty other FReepers who don't read all the comments.

15 posted on 04/03/2013 12:29:42 PM PDT by Pan_Yan (I love it when spell check selects every single word in my post.)
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To: laweeks

Except this guy was flat out innocent of all charges. The blurb above says that his accuser offered to help him clear his name, but she didn’t offer. She was caught on tape telling him flat out that he didn’t rape her but she didn’t want to give back all of the money that she sued the School District for when she claimed he raped her.


16 posted on 04/03/2013 12:30:50 PM PDT by Anitius Severinus Boethius (www.wilsonharpbooks.com - New Robin Hood book out!)
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To: laweeks

Wow, you are even tough on those who are falsely accused of a crime.

So, I take it that you would be happy to be falsely accused of a crime, sent to prison, exonerated and then disparaged for being a criminal and denied the ability to work in your profession?


17 posted on 04/03/2013 12:32:35 PM PDT by OKRA2012
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To: Absolutely Nobama; Thunder90; 4everontheRight; ABG(anybody but Gore); Abbeville Conservative; ...

ping


18 posted on 04/03/2013 12:40:00 PM PDT by Perdogg (Sen Ted Cruz, Sen Mike Lee, and Sen Rand Paul are my adoptive Senators)
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To: Perdogg

Yes, heard it on the top of the hour snooze report.


19 posted on 04/03/2013 12:51:29 PM PDT by b4its2late (A Liberal is a person who will give away everything he doesn't own.)
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To: Pan_Yan

I’m sure he’s guilty of something


20 posted on 04/03/2013 12:53:57 PM PDT by BO Stinkss ( I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees)
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