A pregnant woman accused two Detroit cops of a heinous crime, but exclusive video we've obtained tells a different story.
It was 5:30 am on the streets of Detroit, when two Detroit police officers from the 10th precinct responded to a call of a disturbance.
They came across a woman who said she was pregnant and needed a lift across town.
From the area of Livernois and Grand River to the east side of Detroit, the woman is seen riding in the backseat of the patrol car for a total of 18 miles.
"She gets in the car, they drive from point A to point B,” says Detroit Police Officers Association President Mark Diaz. “They open the door and she gets out. The officers leave and go back to their command."
The otherwise uneventful trip seemingly ends without any trouble at Mack and Cadillac, but a short while later the same woman makes a startling allegation.
"After they dropped her off, she then claimed they had raped her," says Diaz.
At Detroit Receiving Hospital she reiterated to investigators that she was sexually assaulted during her trip. She alleged officers even said to her: "I am the police. I run this bitch. Ain't nobody gonna believe you.”
At the hospital, a thorough exam known as a "rape kit" was administered. A registered nurse documented no sign of injury or trauma.
Still, the troubling accusation quickly led to an internal investigation. Both officers turned in their uniforms for inspection.
"These officers were facing losing their freedom--going to prison for 20 years at least," says Diaz.
Detectives go back to the surveillance video. From inside the police car, the entire ride is once again closely reviewed.
There are no signs of distress or any complaints.
Then, within 24 hours, comes a bombshell. After learning of the in-car video, the woman makes yet another statement where she admits no sexual assault took place.
The woman later said she was under the influence of alcohol and under medication for a serious mental condition. She apologized for making up the whole story and potentially destroying the lives of those officers.
"The allegation itself is damning, what it does to a person's credibility just to be accused of something,” says Diaz. “We don't always have cameras there to provide it, but in this case we do."
Diaz says, sadly, fake claims of this nature are common - often times people are filing lawsuits just to see if the city will settle out of court for a cash payout.
"In the past, there have been so many cases where a municipality will actually settle out of court instead of litigating a case, just to save the cost of litigating a case," says Diaz.
In this case, surveillance video made all the difference. The woman now finds herself in trouble with the law.
"This is nothing short of urban terrorism,” says Diaz. “These people try to take freedom away from those who do nothing more than try to keep our citizens safe."
We made several attempts to contact the woman, but our door knocks and calls went unanswered.
"I believe these individuals should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," says Diaz. “It has to stop, we have to all make a solid stance against this. We have to protect our protectors is what it comes down to."
The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office is currently reviewing a felony arrest warrant request from police. The woman who we're not naming, could face years in prison for the fake claim.
