He had just gotten off of a plane after a 14-hour ride and was hauled away in handcuffs.
“The worst part was having to walk past my fiancé in handcuffs. She had no idea what was happening and neither did I! When I was finally told that I was arrested on charges of rape, I about passed out!”
These are the words of Poison drummer Rikki Rockett, who announced late last week that he was officially exonerated of rape charges. After being accused of the crime–he wasn’t in the state where the alleged crime occurred–Rockett issued a statement:
“I received undying support from my band, friends, and fans, but unfortunately, my detractors had a field day with the story. I look forward to serving the press who created defamatory remarks some healthy lawsuits! I also look forward to helping other people who have been falsely accused of committing heinous crimes. My lawyers, Barry Tarlow and Mi Kim, are helping me seek out organizations like Centurion Ministries to help if I can. This wonderful organization works to free innocent people in prison who have done serious time for crimes they did not commit.”
Public figures–and institutions–are easy targets for false allegations. The news media are ever-suckered by accusations, and “denials” from the accused just complete the story. Regardless of truth, reporters too eagerly suck the teat of the accusers.
Those in the political arena are attractive punching bags. Nobody knows this better than U.S. Senator Harry Reid.
In his recently published memoir, Reid recounts a torturous ordeal in which he was accused of mob ties.
John Smith, writing for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, explains:
When a Kansas City mob insider at the Tropicana was captured on an FBI wiretap referring to Reid as “Mr. Cleanface,” it set off years of controversy and investigation. At the time, Reid headed the Nevada Gaming Commission.
After a number of embarrassing headlines, the issue was resolved, and Reid survived.
Reid writes, “Working on a full-time basis, the Cleanface investigators spent more than one thousand man-hours over five months reviewing every vote I cast as commissioner and interviewing my colleagues, clients, and friends to prepare a 77-page report for the Gaming Control Board chairman, Richard Bunker, who had replaced (Phil) Hannifin. An outside accounting firm submitted all files related to my corporate and personal financial matters. Every rock they saw, they picked up and turned it over, twice. In February 1980, Bunker held an hour-long press conference to announce that the investigation had completely cleared me of any wrongdoing. But the ordeal had taken its toll. Terrible claims had been released by federal agents without a shred of substantiating evidence that created, in Bunker’s mind, ‘an aura of distrust.’ To me, the whole period was the worst time in my life.”
It is with Rockett’s and Reid’s accounts that I am reminded to avoid rushing to judgment anytime a public figure is thrust into the spotlight against his or her will.
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