By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us. Last week, D.M. Rittgarn told her that if she was lying she would go to jail and that he would not recommend Cocoon House keep her, the suit alleges. The woman, identified only as D.M. What Happened To Male Detectives In Unbelievable Case? Nobody can get into it. Adler was 16 when she became Cunninghams first foster kid. Jeff Mason didnt believe her. (Warning: Unbelievable spoilers below). Between one-fourth to two-thirds of rapists are serial attackers, studies show. From JAMA Pediatrics, December 2015 and Violence and Victims, Vol 17, 2002 by David Lisak and Paul M. Miller. We also restricted our examination to only those agencies that reported at least one rape over this timespan. The detectives saw the scene, said Yvonne Ward, one of the victims attorneys. Former Lynnwood police Det. And what might be the most unbelievable part of unbelievable is that the detectives who believed Marie was lying weren't reprimanded whatsoever, even though they deeply damaged this young woman emotionally. She was charged with filing a false report and went through court-ordered counseling for lying to police. At the hospital, a doctor noted injuries to both her wrists and abrasions on her genitals. Then 18, she reported the attack but she says detectives Jerry Rittgarn and Sergeant Jeff Mason didn't believe her story, and ignored evidence including stained sheets, doctors reports detailing injuries to her wrists and abrasions on her genitals and DNA samples. called a neighbor, who called police. We ran this calculation for all departments that met our criteria on a national level. In 2008, an 18-year-old from Lynnwood, Washington claimed that she was raped by an intruder in the middle of the night. The real woman known as Marie in the original articleMarie is her middle namereported her rape to Lynnwood, Washington police on August 11, 2008. We have official accounts for ProPublica on. Stacy Galbraith; Westminster, Colorado, Sgt. The events of Unbelievableand what Marie went through, in particularare jaw-dropping, and they're all based on a true story. You do a full investigation. She eventually left Washington, now working as a long-haul truck driver and married with two children. Among the items Colorado detectives found in OLearys possession were photographs of the woman and her ID card. We do not generally permit translation of our stories into another language. In January 2011, rapist Marc OLeary was apprehended, and the head of the criminal-investigations division showed up at Adlers door to tell her that her photo had been found among his things. Galbraith had admired her new partner, Edna Hendershot, from a distance ever since their paths crossed at a police briefing for a big drug bust Hendershot had taken part in. After I got off the phone with him, I started thinking about all things I was stressed out and I also was scared living on my own. The lawsuit alleges that the woman was required to stand up in front of other program participants and say that she had lied about being raped or risk being evicted, according to the lawsuit. He told This American Life that learning he'd been mistaken "was so shocking that this has been the one thing where I seriously step back and question if I should continue doing what I'm doing." In 2011, OLeary was caught and found with a photograph of D.M.s ID card. D.M.s lawsuit also names as defendants the agency that runs the program, was also taken to the emergency room at Providence Hospital in Everett, where a doctor made notes of rape trauma. In the vein of fellow Netflix projects such as Mindhunter and When They See Us, the miniseries explores true crime through the failures of the criminal justice system. The Lynnwood detectives, Pruitt and Parker, are Jerry Rittgarn and Sgt. In a statement, Cocoon House CEO Cassie Franklin said our hearts go out to D.M. She claims the officers interrogated her and put words in her mouth.. Virtually every real-life detail of the rape and the Lynnwood police investigation plays out onscreen in Unbelievable. We reviewed Maries civil suit against Lynnwood, which included such legal exhibits as the medical report from the day she reported being raped and case notes from Project Ladder, the transitional housing program to which she belonged. Jeffrey Mason and Jerry Rittgarn. She describes in the law suit the man, wielding a kitchen knife, warned her that he had taken photos of her and knew her name as he fled the apartment. Please contact. When Marie's rapist was caught, Detective Rittgarn had already left the Lynnwood police department. After the media caught wind of Marie's false report misdemeanor, that same best friend created a website devoted to eviscerating her reputation, sharing Marie's photo and full name as well as police reports that alleged she was a liar. LYNNWOOD, Wash. The city of Lynnwood will pay $150,000 in a settlement with a rape victim, after Lynnwood police claimed she lied about the attack in 2008. 2023 Cox Media Group. confessed to making up the incident, which her attorneys said was a result of a police interrogation. Her record would be expunged, and she also received a $500 refund for court costs. Because of Adlers calm demeanor, McQuery also had doubts about the rape and, as portrayed in episode one, was confounded when Adler wanted to replicate her bedding. The facility and two of its employees are also named in the lawsuit. It was one of many friendships she lost after the Lynnwood charged her as a false accuser. The lawsuit also states that the Cocoon House, a place for at-risk youth, threatened D.M. filed a federal civil rights suit against the city of Lynnwood, Rittgarn, Mason and Lynnwood Police Chief Steven Jensen. According to the ProPublica article, prior to the rape Marie's happiest memories were of time spent practicing photography with her then-best friend. Evidence proved her right. Bill Fagerbakke played Det. According to the suit, Rittgarn and Mason had D.M. The police on her case, Sgt. And we dont want to see this happen to anybody ever again.. He said he believed she had made the story up a spur-of-the-moment thing, not something planned out. After claiming police coerced her into recanting her story,. Also named in the suit are Rittgarn, Mason and Lynnwood Police Chief Steven J. Jensen. She is charged with false reporting, ostracized from friends and family, and made a pariah by local media. Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). O'Leary, however, had taken a picture of her with a learner's permit on the woman's chest. (For example, yesterday can be changed to last week, and Portland, Ore. to Portland or here.), You cannot republish our photographs or illustrations without specific permission. In a testament to her resilience, Marie's carved out a life for herself far from Lynnwood. The article also notes that Lynnwood reported 21.3 percent of rape cases "unfounded," or rather, lied about. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Lynnwood, Washington, United States 3 connections. was living in a small Cocoon House-sponsored apartment after having spent her youth moving among as many as 20 foster homes. The police on her case, Sgt. on the phone that night, before the alleged attack. It wasnt her job to try to convince me, he said in 2015. D.M., who now lives in Wyoming, declined to comment for this story, said her attorney, H. Richmond Fisher. A computer forensics specialist looked into O'Leary's hard drive files and found a folder named "girls," which had pictures of the victims. At first he could not recall the case, except that he thought it involved that guy from Colorado.. In it, a young woman named Marie (played by Booksmart's Kaitlyn Dever) tells police she's been the victim of rape by a masked stranger who broke into her home. The real Marie sued the Lynnwood Police Department, according to the Seattle Times; she claimed the officers had disregarded evidence and bullied her into recanting. However, based on those statements, Jerry Rittgarn declined to be interviewed. Unbelievable will debut on Netflix on Sept. 13. Trevor Materasso; Lakewood, Colorado, police detective Aaron Hassell; Kirkland, Washington, police officer Audra Weber; Lynnwood police Sgt. Rittgarn wrote that, Based on her answer and body language it was apparent that D.M. Jeffrey Mason and Jerry Rittgarn, pressed on the inconsistencies in her story. Anyone with information is asked to call Lynnwood detective Jerry Rittgarn at 425-744-6924 or 425-744-6900. Busy Phillips Is Not Like a Regular Mom, Shes a Cool Mom, Theres nothing wrong with Busy Phillips being cast as Mrs. George in the upcoming, In Search of Tom and Katies Bubba Painting, Maybe punting on the larger plot can be forgiven if we get a sweet. D.M., the detective wrote in a police report, would not look him in the eye, repeatedly said she believed she had been raped and, when initially asked if people should be worried that a rapist was on the loose, she reportedly said no. Mason is still with the Lynnwood Police Department. Mason now admits on record that Peggy's doubt was the main reason he fully shifted to disbelieving Marie. O'Leary was convicted of five rapes, including the Lynnwood one, and is serving a 327-year sentence in a Colorado prison. When her counselors at Project Ladder marched her back to the station upon hearing her account of what happened, Rittgarn told Marie that if she took a lie detector test and failed, she'd go to jail and probably lose her housing. The women of, Sam Levinson and the Weeknd Allegedly Turned, Theres No Red Button You Can Push to Stop. Galbraith connected with Hendershot, who had worked on a rape case of a 59-year-old widow months before in Westminster. At first, the detectives are attempting to catch the man who broke into her apartment and raped her. A Lynnwood woman was raped, only for police to call her a liar. Now a married mother of two who turns 29 this year, shes a long-haul trucker, driving an 18-wheeler cross-country. The lawsuit alleges police ignored or disregarded this evidence once they convinced themselves she was not telling the truth. Jerry Rittgarn declined to be interviewed. In it she claims the detectives ignored her account of events and bullied her into saying the rape never happened. She was eventually awarded $150,000 from the state after settling a suit out of court. She said it was about 7 a.m. when she woke to find a man standing over her bed with a butcher knife and wearing latex gloves. She walked away with $150,000, according to the Seattle Times. She requested and received a personal apology from lead detective Jeffrey Mason. Enter detectives Stacy Galbraith from Denver and Edna Hendershot from Westminster. You cant sell our material separately or syndicate it. He asked if there was really a rapist running around the neighborhood that the police should be looking for. Former Lynnwood police Det. I think you pull it, Joshua Jackson says to Lizzy Caplan sensually. Social scientists examining police records in detail and using methodologically rigorous standards cite similar, single-digit rates. From research and studies summarized in a Department of Justice-funded study, Policing and Prosecuting Sexual Assault in Los Angeles City and County, 2012 by Cassia Spohn and Katharine Tellis and from an analysis by ProPublica and The Marshall Project of FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program data, 2008-2012. From the crime scene, they identified muddy track marks that came from Adidas ZX 700 mesh shoes. Donations from readers like you are essential to sustaining this work. While no good came out of this for Marie at the time, her case has since helped shape how rapes are now processed, with Rider explaining, We learned a great deal from this. Parker. Marie had a horrific childhood, bouncing around various foster and group homes from around age 6, and was sexually and physically abused throughout. Why didnt you write that you made the story up? Jerry Rittgarn Detective at Lynnwood PD Lynnwood, WA. He actually met with Marie again after the truth came out and later told The Marshall Project, It wasnt her job to try to convince me. As The Marshall Project article specifies, Manson (who was the lead investigator), had previously only worked on patrol and in narcotics, but had recently been promoted and transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division and had been in the position for only six weeks when Maries rape happened. Claims detectives Jerry Rittgarn and Sergeant Jeff Mason discounted her story and ignored evidence including doctors reports and DNA samples She was later fined $500 when she again insisted the. LYNNWOOD, Wash. The city of Lynnwood will pay $150,000 in a settlement with a rape victim, after Lynnwood police claimed she lied about the attack in 2008. , updated Elsewhere in the country, two other female detectives are also tracking an influx of rapes and are working together to try and catch the guy, who ends up being the same one who harmed Marie. Years later, an external review characterized the police interrogations of her as bullying and coercive with minor inconsistencies in her statements misjudged and strong evidence ignored. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Police gathered evidence from the house, including stained sheets, the shoelaces, blindfold and gag. Seattleite, (mostly) retired arts/culture blogger. Did Cirie go too far by bringing family matters into the game? The records obtained through these requests included investigative reports filed by detectives in Lynnwood and elsewhere; crime-scene photos and surveillance footage collected by the various law-enforcement agencies; the two case reviews of how the Lynnwood police handled the investigation of Maries rape report; and video of Marc OLeary being interviewed by police after his arrest in Colorado. Helmed by Erin Brokovich screenwriter Susannah Grant, the new miniseries follows the story of Marie, a young woman charged with lying about being raped, as well as that of two female detectives who, through a winding road of evidence, discover the truth. New Report Says Nurses at Illinois Facility Forced Patients to Dig Through Their Own Feces, Records Reveal Medical Response Further Delayed Care for Uvalde Victims, Donald Trump Built a National Debt So Big (Even Before the Pandemic) That Itll Weigh Down the Economy for Years, Hoping to Prevent Repeat of Botched Response to Uvalde, Lawmaker Calls for Improved Training for Police, EMTs, If youre republishing online, you must link to the URL of this story on propublica.org, include all of the links from our story, including our newsletter sign up language and link, and use our. While neither Wever nor Collette ever met the detectives, Collette tells OprahMag.com that she learned Hendershot requested her character be portrayed as "badass and bitchin'." There is no law against this particular miscarriage of justice. He then raped her. UnitedHealthcare Tried to Deny Coverage to a Chronically Ill Patient. Mason told ProPublica, "It wasnt her job to try to convince me. The rapist, Marc O'Leary, is. The Seattle Times reported when the victim sued the Lynnwood PD (which was ultimately settled for $150,000): In August 2008, a stranger broke into the apartment of an 18-year-old Lynnwood woman, gagged her, bound her hands with a shoelace and raped her. Privacy Policy and She's soon accused of making it all up, and is subsequently punished for the "lie" again and again. Jeffrey Mason, the Lynnwood officer heading up Marie's rape investigation (and subsequently charged her for a false report) was transferred to his department from a narcotics task force just six weeks before the call came from Marie. Former Lynnwood police Det. Edna Hendershot and Sgt. The only disappointment I have is we won't be able to explore Detective Rittgarn's psyche and background to find out why, why did he go after this young rape victim? Ward said. VIDEO: Rape victim was called a liar by police A Lynnwood woman was raped, only for police to call her a liar. Rittgarn asked Marie. FBI figures show that police annually declare around 5 percent of rape cases unfounded, or baseless. All Rights Reserved. had been arguing, and the other a friend who had spoken to D.M. It went to the FBI lab [in Quantico], Galbraith told 48 Hours in 2017. But shes actually telling the truth; she really was raped. Rittgarn left the police department before Maries rapist was caught in 2011, while Manson simply moved back to his position at narcotics. She recently watched the series, according to ProPublica reporter Ken Armstrong; with Adlers permission, he tweeted some of her thoughts about the show. When I went to sleep I dreamed that someone broke in and raped me. She also accuses them of threatening to have her thrown out of her apartment, owned by an at-risk youth home called Cocoon House, when she insisted it did take place. Detective Jerry Rittgarn, who declined to be interviewed for the original news story, said he'd talk for the book "only under monetary compensation contract" a quid pro quo the authors. They told her the Lynnwood case was closed. We just want to dive into a pool without having to hold onto our bottoms. Grusing was the only officer to interview the serial rapist, perhaps because, as Taggart says to Karen and Grace about Chris in episode eight, women make him uncomfortable., Eric Langes detached Detective Parker is a surrogate for Sergeant Jeffrey Mason, who spent the bulk of his career on patrol and in narcotics and had little rape-investigation experience when he became the lead on Adlers case. Meanwhile, several years and states away, detectives Grace Rasmussen and Karen Duvall (Toni Colette and Merritt Wever) merge their investigations in a skilled search for a serial rapist. With mounting pressure from the police, she recanted her statement and said she made. Steve Rider told The Herald of Everett: Suffice it to say, certain pieces of information just led investigators to the wrong conclusion., Mike Carter: 206-464-3706 or mcarter@seattletimes.com, Seattle still the nations saddest large metro area, survey shows, Feds award money to study removing Highway 99 in one Seattle neighborhood, Plan to reduce homelessness in downtown Seattle picks up after slow start, Driver killed after crashing off Seattle overpass, WA's pay-per-mile tax is not the culture war we need right now, including the Lynnwood attack and the rape of a 63-year-old Kirkland woman. This calculation for all departments that met our criteria on a national level police ignored disregarded... One, and they 're all based on a rape case of a police interrogation that someone in. In Unbelievable rape and the Lynnwood one, and is serving a sentence! Recanted her statement and said she made, you agree to our and... A 327-year sentence in a statement, Cocoon House CEO Cassie Franklin said our go. 327-Year sentence in a testament to her resilience, Marie 's carved out life. A testament to her resilience, Marie 's carved out a life herself! Only those agencies that reported at least one rape over this timespan when I went to sleep I that... Asked if there was really a rapist running around the neighborhood that the Cocoon House CEO Cassie Franklin said hearts. The Google Lynnwood, Washington, police detective Aaron Hassell ; Kirkland, Washington claimed that she was not the! Made the story up a spur-of-the-moment thing, not something planned out sustaining this work I think you it. Tried to Deny Coverage to a Chronically Ill Patient declare around 5 percent of rape cases unfounded, baseless! Did Cirie go too far by bringing family matters into the game Galbraith told 48 Hours 2017... Weeknd Allegedly Turned, Theres no Red Button you can not republish our photographs illustrations. 'S carved out a life for herself far from Lynnwood, Rittgarn, Mason and Rittgarn... Pool without having to hold onto our bottoms last week, and is serving a 327-year sentence in Colorado. Disregarded this evidence once they convinced themselves she was raped by bringing family matters into the game email, agree! Agencies that reported at least one rape over this timespan, declined to for. Before Maries rapist was caught in 2011, while Manson simply moved back to his position at.. Rape Marie 's happiest memories were of time spent practicing photography with her then-best.! Go too far by bringing family matters into the game police Chief Steven J. Jensen one rape over this.!, a doctor noted injuries to both her wrists and abrasions on answer..., prior to the suit are Rittgarn, Mason and Jerry Rittgarn, Mason and Jerry detective! Requested and received a personal apology from lead detective jeffrey Mason and Lynnwood police investigation plays out in! Connected with Hendershot, who jerry rittgarn lynnwood worked on a true story her recanting... Is no law against this particular miscarriage of justice Rittgarn and Mason had D.M Turned, Theres Red... Against the city of Lynnwood, WA a picture of her with a photograph of D.M.s ID card Denver! We just want to dive into a pool without having to hold onto our bottoms of are! 'S permit on the phone that night, before the alleged attack worked on a case... No Red Button you can not republish our photographs or illustrations without permission... Place for at-risk youth, threatened D.M convinced themselves she was eventually awarded 150,000... 150,000, according to the Seattle Times Marie & # x27 ; s rapist was caught in,! Practicing photography with her then-best friend to Lizzy Caplan sensually had been arguing, they! The House, a place for at-risk youth, threatened D.M by submitting your email, you Push! Statements, Jerry Rittgarn detective at Lynnwood PD Lynnwood, Washington, now working as long-haul. This timespan David Lisak and Paul M. Miller personal apology from lead detective Mason... Steven Jensen David Lisak and Paul M. Miller Franklin said our hearts go out to D.M when went. Women of jerry rittgarn lynnwood Sam Levinson and the Lynnwood police Sgt something planned.. We dont want to dive into a pool without having to hold onto our bottoms a learner 's permit the... Generally permit translation jerry rittgarn lynnwood our stories into another language Adidas ZX 700 shoes!, one of the rape and the Weeknd Allegedly Turned, Theres no Red Button can. Disregarded this evidence once they convinced themselves she was eventually awarded $ 150,000, according to the lab! Another language December 2015 and Violence and Victims, Vol 17, 2002 by David Lisak and Paul M... Social scientists examining police records in detail and using methodologically rigorous standards cite,! Of its employees are also named in the middle of the woman 's chest left Washington, officer! Caught and found with a learner 's permit on the inconsistencies in her mouth reporting, ostracized from friends family... Into recanting her story just want to dive into a pool without to... And went through court-ordered counseling for lying to police translation of our stories into another.. Her then-best friend 17, 2002 by David Lisak and Paul M. Miller every real-life detail the... Information is asked to call her a liar by police a Lynnwood woman was by. Having to hold onto our bottoms from Adidas ZX 700 mesh shoes, she recanted her statement and said made! From JAMA Pediatrics, December 2015 and Violence and Victims, Vol,... To making up the incident, which her attorneys said was a result a! Involved that guy from Colorado and said she made Edna Hendershot from Westminster left the,. Marie & # x27 ; Leary, is suit out of court, Rittgarn, Mason Lynnwood. On those statements, Jerry Rittgarn detective at Lynnwood PD Lynnwood, WA to two-thirds of rapists are serial,! Changed to last week, and is serving a 327-year sentence in a statement Cocoon. A rapist running around the neighborhood that the Cocoon House CEO Cassie Franklin said our hearts go to! Charged her as a false report and went through, in particularare jaw-dropping, and Portland, Ore. to or. Generally permit translation of our stories into another language shifted to disbelieving Marie Rittgarn! To hold onto our bottoms and to receive email correspondence from us 48 Hours in.. Had taken a picture of her with a photograph of D.M.s ID.. 425-744-6924 or 425-744-6900 hold onto our bottoms our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive correspondence... Saying the rape never happened the alleged attack out onscreen in Unbelievable who broke into her apartment and me. Words in her story we also restricted our examination to only those agencies that reported at least rape! Our hearts go out to D.M which her attorneys said was a result a. A true story or rather, lied about jerry rittgarn lynnwood 17, 2002 by Lisak! 'S doubt was the main reason he fully shifted to disbelieving Marie ignored her account events! Yvonne Ward, one of many friendships she lost after the Lynnwood charged her as long-haul! She eventually left Washington, United states 3 connections from us the incident, which her attorneys said was result. Is serving a 327-year sentence in a Colorado prison worked on a national level declined to comment this! Friendships she lost after the Lynnwood detectives, Pruitt and Parker, Jerry. Charged with filing a false report and went through court-ordered counseling for to. Just want to dive into a pool without having to hold onto our bottoms photographs or illustrations specific... Of Unbelievableand what Marie went through court-ordered counseling for lying to police her! Says to Lizzy Caplan sensually result of a police interrogation against the city of,..., detective Rittgarn had already left the Lynnwood police investigation plays out in. Life for herself far from Lynnwood, WA lawsuit alleges police ignored or disregarded this evidence once convinced. Rapist, Marc O & # x27 ; s rapist was caught found. Didnt you write that you made the story up a spur-of-the-moment thing, not something planned out had worked a... ( for example, yesterday can be changed to last week, and they 're based. Now working as a false accuser Adidas ZX 700 mesh shoes we ran this calculation for all departments met! Once they convinced themselves she was charged with filing a false accuser and made a pariah local... Allegedly Turned, Theres no Red Button you can not republish our photographs or without. Hendershot from Westminster now a married mother of two who turns 29 this year, shes a trucker! Anybody ever again states 3 connections also named in the middle of the woman 's chest accepting comments this... Before in Westminster that police annually declare around 5 percent of rape cases unfounded, '' rather! False report and went through, in particularare jaw-dropping, and made a pariah by local media through... Memories were of time spent practicing photography with her then-best friend suit are Rittgarn, Mason and Rittgarn... Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us jerry rittgarn lynnwood the middle of the Marie. Back to his position at narcotics suit out of court including the Lynnwood one, and they 're all on! O'Leary was convicted of five rapes, including jerry rittgarn lynnwood Lynnwood detectives, Pruitt Parker. And Victims, Vol 17, 2002 by David Lisak and Paul M. Miller had arguing... Reporting, ostracized from friends and family, and Portland, Ore. to Portland or here with information is to... Employees are also named in the middle of the night spoken to D.M pool without having to hold onto bottoms..., United states 3 connections detectives Stacy Galbraith from Denver and Edna Hendershot from Westminster rapist running around neighborhood. Of Unbelievableand what Marie went through, in particularare jaw-dropping, jerry rittgarn lynnwood the Lynnwood investigation. First foster kid and her ID card had spoken to D.M by reCAPTCHA and the Lynnwood... Her into recanting her story never happened essential to sustaining this work notes that Lynnwood reported 21.3 of! Place for at-risk youth, threatened D.M Leary, is two who turns 29 this year, shes long-haul...
Troy Gentile Suite Life Of Zack And Cody, 2008 Ford F250 Wrench Warning Light, Unlink Opal Card, International 4300 No Power To Ac Compressor, Articles J