Brian Banks, a former Long Beach Poly High School football star, had his rape conviction thrown out this week after the alleged victim admitted to lying about the incident. Banks spent five years in prison after pleading no contest to forcible rape and is now seeking money from California.
“We do not plan on taking any legal action against Gibson,” said Banks’ attorney, Justin Brooks of the California Innocence Project, referring to Banks’ accuser, Wanetta Gibson. “We do plan on filing a state claim for the $100 a day Brian is entitled to under State Law 4900 for every day he was wrongfully incarcerated.”
Wanetta Gibson accused Banks of raping her at Long Beach Poly High School back in 2001 when she was just 15. Her mother sued the Long Beach school system, which led to a $750,000 payment from a civil suit.
In a strange turn of events Gibson friended Banks on Facebook, and offered to help him clear his record after admitting that she lied about her claims. However, she refused to re-tell her story to prosecutors in fear of losing the money she received in the lawsuit.
L.A. prosecutors are not planning on suing Gibson for making false accusations, saying it would be a tough case to prove.
During the time of his arrest Banks had garnered attention from such college powerhouses as University of Southern California, University of Michigan and University of Ohio, but had given a verbal agreement to play for USC on scholarship.
During an interview with the Today show on Thursday Banks revealed that he still had hopes to play in the NFL.
