Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Research estimates that 2-11% of charges filed by women against men are false, be they around sexual assault, stalking, or other criminal behaviors. During the height of MeToo, a local Utah man spent 4 years fighting for his innocence against the false accusations of his unstable ex-girlfriend. During the course of this ordeal, the man made no less than 32 trips to the courthouse for meetings, hearings, pre-trial conferences, and a jury trial. Due to the malicious actions of the prosecution and the perjury of their witnesses, the bulk of the defendant's evidence and witnesses were blocked. Despite this, the charges were ultimately dropped when he took a deal. His daughter’s mental health was so adversely affected by this woman and her behavior, the man eventually pleaded no contest to save his daughter’s life. This ordeal caused the man to experience massive financial loss, irreparable damage to his personal and professional reputation, and he became a social pariah. His physical and emotional health took a beating from which he is still working to recover.
The intent of this body of work is two-fold. Firstly, while these works are based on one specific case, they represents a situation in society that goes largely unacknowledged. Many do not want to believe this happens. But it does. This could easily be your husband, father, brother, son, or friend. Secondly, it is to educate and to encourage women to be responsible in their reporting, being completely honest about what did and did not happen, telling the truth without drama or exaggeration. Just as one aggressive act is one too many, so too is one false accusation one too many.
The viewer is invited to listen while contemplating the photos to hear vocalizations of texts and statements made by the defendant during this horrific time, to step into his shoes for a moment and empathize with his reality.
The intent of this body of work is two-fold. Firstly, while these works are based on one specific case, they represents a situation in society that goes largely unacknowledged. Many do not want to believe this happens. But it does. This could easily be your husband, father, brother, son, or friend. Secondly, it is to educate and to encourage women to be responsible in their reporting, being completely honest about what did and did not happen, telling the truth without drama or exaggeration. Just as one aggressive act is one too many, so too is one false accusation one too many.
The viewer is invited to listen while contemplating the photos to hear vocalizations of texts and statements made by the defendant during this horrific time, to step into his shoes for a moment and empathize with his reality.
