Unfortunately, we are often inclined to automatically believe the accusations that others make without first checking out their story. The inevitable result is that we are sometimes duped into believing false accusations. When false accusations are made in the criminal justice system, the consequences can be devastating. Fortunately for a man in Texas, an accusation of murder lodged against him by his wife was discovered to be false before he had to stand trial. He was fortunate. Some are not. What follows is a brief recounting of his story.
Tracy Denise Roberson convicted of involuntary manslaughter
7:21 PM CDT, May 2, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas - A Texas woman who caused her lover's shooting death by falsely crying rape was convicted Friday of involuntary manslaughter.
Tracy Denise Roberson, 37, cried a bit when the verdict was announced. The punishment phase was set for Monday, and she faces two to 20 years in prison.
In late 2006, Darrell Roberson came home from a late-night card game to find his scantily clad wife with another man in a pickup truck in the driveway. Tracy Roberson was with her lover but cried rape, and her husband fired four shots into the truck as Devin LaSalle drove off, killing him.
Darrell Roberson initially was arrested, but a murder charge was later dropped and a grand jury indicted Tracy Roberson instead.
During her three-day trial, defense attorneys called no witnesses but blamed LaSalle's death on Darrell Roberson's jealousy and rage.
But prosecutors placed all the blame on Tracy Roberson, showing evidence of the affair with LaSalle, 32, and a text message in which she invited him to her house that evening.
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