Convict says ’07 torture did happen

WEST COLUMBIA, W.Va. - A woman imprisoned for her role in the 2007 kidnapping and torture of a black woman by seven white men and women in West Virginia said yesterday that the victim wasn’t telling the truth when she denied this week that the attack occurred.

Frankie Brewster told WCHS-TV in Charleston that multiple crimes were committed against Megan Williams during the attack in rural Logan County, about 50 miles south of Charleston.

An attorney representing Williams said Wednesday that she is now recanting statements incriminating Brewster, her son Bobby, and five others.
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“It did happen,’’ Brewster said during the interview at the Lakin Correctional Center, where she is serving 10 to 25 years. “All of us participated.’’

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/10/24/wva_convict_says_07_torture_case_was_real/

then you cant hold people if the victim says they made it up, its gonna be a big mess but interesting to watch all the same.

You go on the merits of the original case. Those people were convicted largely on physical and forensic evidence and not on Megan's testimony since because of her mental disability and the manipulation of her by others she did not make a reliable witness. Mrs. Brewster admitted to police when they came and rescued Megan that she was indeed holding her against her will and did indeed beat her and was not the only one. The victim very clearly was injured and spent time in the hospital. NONE of the defendants at any time claimed innocence (and haven't to this day) and when interrogated (separately) implicated themselves and others with the same story details. Some of the abuse had been recorded by the abusers with a camera which was found and the photos evaluated which is part of the physical/forensic evidence.

Further, Megan herself has yet to say anything at all about recanting and backed out of the press conference in which her attorney said she was going to. A recant has to be official and by the victim themselves in writing.

its not going to happen, if a victim says nothing happened or that they willingly took part or even that only one person was involved, do you really think the lawyers of the people convicted wont get it overturned in a heartbeat. If she willingly and wihtout duress recants then these people are going to walk... and quite rightly...

This has been explained in other articles. If she ever does formally recant and the perps want the case looked into again that will happen, but it will in no way result in their being set free since they were not convicted based on what the victim said, there is simply far too much evidence against them and they all freely admitted guilt. Further, this victim has been known from day one that she has a mental disability that affects what she says and does, and that will also be part of any re-examination of the case. Plenty of domestic violence cases result in convictions when the victim insists all the way along it never happened... because they're convicted based on other evidence. This is a good thing... so that guilty people are not set free soley due to what the victim says as the victim may be mentally disabled, threatened or otherwise coerced into recanting.

listen to what they say, if she recants then there will be appeals and they will all withdraw their admissions of guilt (you do know people plea to stuff all the time to get lesser charges) yup people in all sorts of cases are convicted without the witness or victim difference here is they all took pleas and it never went to trial, so if she recants then they would be dumb not to appeal...

First, they all aren't going to withdraw their admissions of guilt and one of them has already said so. Another wrote a letter to the media from prison further admitting their guilt. I SAID that if any of them want the case re-evaluated it will be... that doesn't mean they will be set free because there is far to much evidence against them that hasn't fuck all to do with a single thing the victim ever said. Their convictions will be upheld and I'd bet every single dime I own on it.

Why don't you actually look into this case before deciding what they'll do and what is likely to happen. I'll even get you started... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4113150 Read the whole thread and all the links provided.

dosent mean all of them will, i would bet you that dime that their lawyers start to look at this, because i know sure as hell i would have my lawyer looking at it if it was me. You keep going on about the evidence, we havent seen the evidence presented to a jury as they all took pleas, you never know what will happen in an appeal do we. personally im not invested in it in any way and i just find it interesting that she is talking of recanting her statement...