Brian Banks spent five years in prison after a woman falsely accused him of rape in 2002, and now accuser Wanetta Gibson has been ordered to pay $2.6 million in damages to the Long Beach Unified School District.
Once a star football prospect at Long Beach Poly High, Banks was convicted, lost his scholarship offer from USC and was sent to jail. Gibson sued the school district, citing an unsafe environment, and won $750,000 in the dispute.
It was only after Gibson admitted to lying that Banks was freed in 2012.
Gibson now owes the district $750,000, including court fees, and is on the line for more than $1 million in punitive damages.
Banks, on the other hand, continues to be one of the most inspirational stories in the NFL. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons in April and will compete for a job at inside linebacker.
“I don’t expect any handouts or favoritism,” he said. “I’m here to work like everybody else and the result of my hard work will be whatever they deem necessary.”
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