This is all kinds of messed up.
A Saint Louis resident and her boyfriend are now facing charges after lying about a ‘Knockout Game’ attack.
According to the Saint Louis Dispatch, Ashley Depew, 23, told police that she was a victim of ‘The Knockout Game’ – when she was actually attacked by her own boyfriend.
After retelling her story to cops outlining the random act of violence, they suspected something was up. Depew claimed that she was targeted by three black teens while at a nightclub with her boyfriend, 25-year-old Justin Simms. After police discovered the couple fabricated the story, both were charged with filing a false police report.
The woman and her boyfriend admitted on Thursday that they had fabricated the story because they feared repercussions from police and their families, police said in court documents. They told investigators that they were traveling on Interstate 55 and began arguing. When the woman tried to put her hand on her boyfriend’s, he told police, he flung it back violently, inadvertently punching her in the eye.
Before police could find out the truth, the story had already spread throughout the web, with many news outlets retracting the fake report. Police still aren’t sure that the hit was accidental and Ethan Corlija, Depew’s lawyer, is hoping charges will be dropped against her.
“I don’t want this to detract from the fact that she’s still a victim,” he said. “She sustained pretty serious injuries. No matter how the circuit attorney chooses to view it, it still boils down to her being a victim and we can’t lose sight of that fact.”
Although fear played a part in her poor judgment, Depew should still be able to get the help she needs – it’s sad she had to place the blame on others to get it.
SOURCE: Saint Louis Post
