"In a recent interview, Steve Rider, the current commander of Lynnwood’s Criminal Investigations Division, called Marie’s case a “major failing” that has left members of the department with a profound sense of regret: “Knowing that she went through that brutal attack — and then we told her she lied? That’s awful. We all got into this job to help people, not to hurt them.” Lynnwood Sgt. Rodney Cohnheim said of Marie, “She was victimized twice.”
Sgt. Mason is now back in narcotics, in charge of a task force. Interviewed in the same room where he had confronted Marie seven years before, he said: “It wasn’t her job to try to convince me. In hindsight, it was my job to get to the bottom of it — and I didn’t.”
Marie’s case led to changes in practices and culture, Rider said. Detectives receive additional training about rape victims. Rape victims get immediate assistance from advocates at a local healthcare center. Investigators must have “definitive proof” of lying before doubting a rape report, and a charge of false reporting must now be reviewed with higher-ups. “We learned a great deal from this. And we don’t want to see this happen to anybody ever again,” Rider said."
I don't know that it is necessary to read the whole thing, it's... I don't know, it feels like a well written episode of any one of those TV shows. That probably says a lot about pop culture in the 2000s and rape narratives.
But this reflection at the end, by the police officers who doubted one of the victims and then charger her with a crime, this is interesting and useful to read. Reading the account, I didn't feel like anyone was at fault; it felt like it was a whole system, where Marie didn't feel empowered and didn't have enough support structures, and where people are socialized to doubt that rape happens. But people being people can also learn and that happened here.
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