High school football star cries in court when rape charges were dropped after girl confessed it never happened
Brian Banks spent six years in prison after being wrongly convicted of rape.
A high school football star broke down in court after rape charges were dropped against him.
Back in 2002, Brian Banks was a 17-year-old still in school with a promising football career ahead of him.
While at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, Banks was steadily rising to the top and verbally committed to the Division 1 school of USC.
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The then-teenager was processing rapidly and he was more than ready to take his football career to the next level.
But his hopes to join the school quickly crumbled after Waneta Gibson accused him of kidnap and rape.
Gibson claimed Banks kidnapped her, dragged her into a stairwell and sexually assaulted her.
But the truth, which was later revealed, saw Banks making his way to the school office and bumping into Gibson.
The pair, who had known each other since middle school, had a consensual encounter of making out - but no sexual intercourse took place.
At the time there was no evidence Banks kidnapped or raped Gibson, but his lawyers only gave him two options: If Banks pleaded not guilty, he could have faced a whopping 41 years in prison, or if he pleaded 'no contest' he would face no longer than 18 months behind bars.
Banks did not have the opportunity to consult his family before making a decision, and decided to go with his lawyer's suggestion of pleading guilty.
Despite choosing the 'lesser of two evils', Banks still spent six years in prison despite his legal team promising a maximum term of 18 months.
After his release, Banks spent another five years under parole with an ankle bracelet.
Despite his release, Banks' time in prison continued to impact him, as he had to register as a sex offender - which resulted in the former footballer struggling to find a job.
Justice was finally served in 2012 however, as Banks was able to have his conviction overturned.
Gibson reached out to him on social media and after meeting up, Gibson confessed she lied to Banks and his legal team.
That allowed the conviction to be overturned, with Banks seen crying in court after the verdict was heard.
Once his name had been cleared, Banks sought to resume his dream of playing football.
After trails with the Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers, Banks got his break with Atlanta Falcons.
While he may have only played four games, Banks was able to fulfil his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL.
There is even a movie about Banks topsy-turvy life, suitably called Brian Banks.
Callum Jones