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From: cja@lzwi.UUCP (C.E.JACKSON)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: The Dotson Case
Message-ID: <164@lzwi.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Jun-85 16:18:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: lzwi.164
Posted: Wed Jun  5 16:18:55 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Jun-85 22:12:34 EDT
References: <2220@decwrl.UUCP> <174@kontron.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft
Lines: 25
Summary: Factual Correction

In article <174@kontron.UUCP>, cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) writes:
> I recall that at about the same time as the Dotson case, there was another
> women back East who recanted her testimony against the accused in a rape case.
> The news media hasn't followed up on that one, perhaps because there was
> some question about the truthfulness of the recantation.
Er, um, have I totally lost my ability to read newspapers &
listen to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, or isn't the reason that
there was delay in releasing Dotson that *everyone* involved
in the Dotson case from the governor on down considered the recantation
false? 
The governor ultimately commuted the man's sentence because the massive
publicity given the case made it likely that some number of
people *would* think he, the governor had been unfair &
because Dotson had served more than the average amount of time
that convicted rapists served. (That's only six years, folks.)
The governor made it very clear when he DID not consider
Dotson innocent & did not believe Ms. Webb's current story.
And has it occurred to no one that it may be easier for Ms.
Webb to recant & pretend that the whole rape never took place
than to have to recall that such a heinious thing happened to
her?

C. E. Jackson
...ihnp4!lznv!cja (for reasons too silly to explain,the address above 
[lzwi] is incorrect--don't use it)