Morgan Triplett, a college student who notified University of California-Santa Cruz campus police that she had been raped near campus on February 17, has been arrested for falsifying a police report.
Triplett, 20, had originally reported that she had been walking through the redwood forests near campus when she was suddenly accosted by an unknown man, beaten, and raped. This allegation led to a manhunt around the campus.
Police soon found out, however, that the case wasn't so much about rape as it was payment. Triplett had posted a couple of Craigslist ads a day prior to the incident, wherein she was actively looking for someone to rough her up.
"The second ad, which ultimately was the one responded to, was seeking someone with a strong hand to inflict punches, bruises and kicks and compensation was to be provided with sex," assistant district attorne Johanna Schonfeld said outside of court.
The first ad she posted on Craigslist was perhaps even more odd. In that one, she requested that someone shoot her with a small caliber gun in the shoulder. It is now reported that Triplett has been dealing with suicidal thoughts for some time now.
In light of these new developments, it is now Triplett that is the one being charged. Her alleged lies led to a very costly search for the perpetrator, one that cost the police department both money and time. She is now facing up to 6 months in prison for falsifying a police report.
Not everyone is so quick to call her a liar though. Her father is still adamant that his daughter is a victim and that she never asked to be raped.
"Morgan asked for some trouble, but she did not ask to be sexually assaulted,' says Richard Triplett. "What we're dealing with is a very scared, very upset, very confused 20-year-old girl who has made some poor choices. This is the culmination of those choices."
