Nearly two decades after accusing three Duke lacrosse players of rape in a case that drew national attention, Crystal Mangum has admitted for the first time that the allegations were false and has asked for forgiveness.
Currently serving a prison sentence for the 2011 murder of her boyfriend, Mangum made the confession during a November interview on the podcast Let’s Talk with Kat, which was released online on Thursday.
In the interview, Mangum reflected on her life, including her regrets, her past as an exotic dancer, and her hopes for redemption. When asked directly about her 2006 accusations against the Duke lacrosse players, she acknowledged her wrongdoing.
“They took me into their home,” Mangum said, referring to the players. “The Bible says you shouldn’t harm your neighbor who lives trustingly beside you. They were my brothers, and they trusted me not to betray them. I falsely accused them of rape, and that was wrong.”
Mangum expressed deep remorse, attributing her false testimony to a misguided need for external validation.
“I betrayed the trust of many who believed in me by fabricating a story because I wanted validation from others, not from God,” she said. “That was wrong because God already loved me for who I was. I didn’t realize I already had His validation.”
She concluded with a heartfelt apology to the three players, calling them her “brothers” and pleading for their forgiveness.
“I hurt my brothers. I want them to know I love them, and they didn’t deserve what I did. I hope they can forgive me,” Mangum said.
The 2006 accusations led to a media firestorm and legal battles that severely impacted the lives of the accused players. The charges were dropped in 2007 after inconsistencies in Mangum’s story were uncovered.
In 2013, Mangum was convicted of second-degree murder for the stabbing death of her boyfriend and was sentenced to 14–18 years in prison.
