Danmell Ndonye, 18 of Hofstra University accused a fellow student and four of his friends of gang raping her in a campus dorm on Sunday morning. Four of the men were arrested, charged with first degree rape, and went to jail (the fifth one was never named). Last night, Danmell Ndonye recanted her story, and the four men were released after being held for 22 hours.
"Late [last night] . . . the alleged victim of the sexual assault admitted that the encounter that took place early Sunday morning was consensual," said Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. "I have launched an immediate criminal investigation into the statements and reports given by the woman in connection with this incident," the New York Post reported.
The men were happy to be released, but upset that this whole thing happened in the first place.
"We were in jail for over 22 hours, and we had to sit there and see our names on TV blurted out calling me a rapist," Stalin Felipe said. "I have no comment for that girl."
Bail was set at $500,000 each, and they faced 25 years in prison if convicted.
One of the men, Kevin Taveras, 20 a student at another college said, "I am very disappointed that she made up all those lies about us, and quite frankly, I don't even know her name."
The New York Post reported that a surveillance video did not back up Ndonye's original story.
Ndonye stated that around 3 am on Sunday morning, she was at frat party and one of the men accused took her cell phone. She followed all of them to his dorm room to retrieve her phone, and they made advances toward her, which she claimed she resisted. She accused the five men of forcing her into a bathroom stall, tying her up and taking turns sexually assaulting her.
Two of the men denied having sex with Ndonye.
Fellow students were outraged at Ndonye. "This is ridiculous," said senior Cyassandra Frith, 21. "She should be charged -- she destroyed four people's lives."
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According to a 2003 rape report from Utah one of every five women are raped, and that it happens more often on a college campus. And most of the time it is from someone that the victim knows. The report did not state if drinking is a factor in most cases.
UPDATE: Hosftra University suspended Danmell Ndonye Thursday and she now faces criminal charges, according WCBSTV.
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Comments
"UPDATE: Hosftra University suspended Danmell Ndonye Thursday and she now faces criminal charges, according WCBSTV."
From the update:
"I think full charges should be pressed against her because that's just not right," Robert Koulakjian said.
They aren't pressing charges against her. One of the men suggested she should be.
"According to a 2003 rape report from Utah one of every five women are raped, and that it happens more often on a college campus."
So how many of those 1 in 5 lie about being raped.
Those young men were arrested within four hours of the lies from Ms. I just can't get enough and now I am angry. Why has she not been arrested for filing a false police report? I would sue for false arrest and defamation of character. Where is JUSTICE NOW???
I would recommend to the men to file a law suit for abuse of process.
The tort of abuse of process has three essential elements:
(1) regularly issued civil or criminal process,
(2) an intent to do harm without social excuse or legal justification, and
(3) use of the process in a perverted manner to obtain a collateral advantage.
Actual or special damages from the abuse of process must also be alleged.
Otherwise, the domestic violence industry has opened the door for tons of false rape allegations because the only repercussion will be community service. Men are in danger in New York.
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