Crystal Mangum

Crystal Gail Mangum (born July 18, 1978) is an American former stripper from Durham, North Carolina, who was incarcerated for murder from 2013 until her release in February 2026. In 2006, she came to attention in national news reports for having made false allegations of rape against lacrosse players in the Duke lacrosse rape hoax. Mangum's work in the sex industry as a black woman, while the young men she accused were white, generated extensive media interest and academic debate about race, class, gender, and the politicization of the justice system. In December 2024, Mangum admitted to fabricating the assault. In February 2010, she was charged with the attempted murder of her then live-in partner, Milton Walker, but was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, injury to personal property and resisting a public officer. In November 2013, she was found guilty of second-degree murder after she stabbed boyfriend Reginald Daye, who died 10 days after. She argued that she acted in self-defense, saying that she feared Daye would kill her. She was sentenced to 14 to 18 years in prison.