Nebraska woman who claimed anti-gay hate crime lied-police(Reuters) - A Nebraska woman who last month gained national attention by saying that she was the target of a brutal anti-gay hate crime was arrested Tuesday for lying to police.
The Lincoln Police Department said in a statement that it had arrested Charlie K. Rogers, 33, for making a false report. She is expected to be charged with a misdemeanor, according to the Lancaster County prosecutor's office.
Rogers told police that three masked men entered her home in south Lincoln, tied her up, and carved words into her body with a knife, according to police. Local media reported that the words were gay slurs, but police declined to confirm this.
Anti-gay graffiti was spray-painted inside the home, according to police, and a fire was also set in the kitchen that burned itself out.
The allegations prompted a vigil by about 500 people in the state's capitol.
Lincoln Police said in a statement that DNA evidence contradicted statements made by Rogers, and that she had made "several changes" in her story.
Gay rights advocacy groups in Lincoln issued a joint statement in response, expressing confidence that Rogers' allegations received a "balanced and thorough investigation."
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, law enforcement agencies reported 8,208 victims of hate crimes in 2010. Of these, 18.6 percent were targeted due to sexual orientation bias.