What to Do with the Hofstra False Accuser?
Terry L. Mitchell
September 23, 2009
What do you think should happen to Danmell Ndonye? She is the Hofstra University freshman who recently accused five men of gang-raping her. However, she later recanted her story when one of them provided a video that proved her sexual encounter with him to be consensual.
Had it gone undetected, her lie could have ruined the lives of five innocent individuals. They would likely have been convicted of rape, sentenced to long prison terms, and spent the rest of their lives branded as sex offenders.
And thatīs not to mention the harm she may have done to future victims of real rape. When those women are viewed suspiciously or are not taken seriously, Danmell Ndonye will be partially responsible. They would have every right to point a finger of blame squarely at her.
So, should Ms. Ndonye have to suffer the consequences of her actions? I think justice demands it. Martha Stewart spent five months in a federal prison for lying to investigators about a mere stock trade. The lie she told was virtually inconsequential but for the possible loss of a few investment dollars. A little bit of money canīt even be compared to the value of someoneīs freedom and good name.
If we are going to give a person five months for lying about money, then, by all rights, we should give Ndonye a life sentence for what she did. But I think thereīs some room for mercy here. Two years behind bars contemplating the damage she did (and could have done) should be enough to elicit some genuine contrition and persuade her to walk the straight and narrow from then on.
Had it gone undetected, her lie could have ruined the lives of five innocent individuals. They would likely have been convicted of rape, sentenced to long prison terms, and spent the rest of their lives branded as sex offenders.
And thatīs not to mention the harm she may have done to future victims of real rape. When those women are viewed suspiciously or are not taken seriously, Danmell Ndonye will be partially responsible. They would have every right to point a finger of blame squarely at her.
So, should Ms. Ndonye have to suffer the consequences of her actions? I think justice demands it. Martha Stewart spent five months in a federal prison for lying to investigators about a mere stock trade. The lie she told was virtually inconsequential but for the possible loss of a few investment dollars. A little bit of money canīt even be compared to the value of someoneīs freedom and good name.
If we are going to give a person five months for lying about money, then, by all rights, we should give Ndonye a life sentence for what she did. But I think thereīs some room for mercy here. Two years behind bars contemplating the damage she did (and could have done) should be enough to elicit some genuine contrition and persuade her to walk the straight and narrow from then on.