JONATHAN TURLEY

There is an interesting story out of Edmonton, England where police refused to file charges against four women who falsely accused cab driver Soner Yasa of sexual assault. It is an all too familiar story where false rape and assault victims are often not charged as in the infamous case of the Duke Lacrosse team.

Yasa picked up the girls in a bar areas in April 2006. The ride went badly when they tried to smoke in the taxi — which is against the law. When Yasa told them that they could not light up, the women became irate and got out of the cab and refused to pay the fare. They then called on friends and bystanders, allegedly claiming that Yasa tried to assault them. Both the women and Yasa called the police. What the women did not know is that, after a prior robberty, Yasa had installed a video camera in the taxi which exonerated him.

When the women admitted that they had lied to the police, Yasa said he wanted to press charged but the police refused.

He is now understandably pursuing a lawsuit, seeking $240,000 in damages from the four women.

I fail to understand how the police can refuse to accept such a charge from a citizen, particularly when a videotape supports the account. Assuming that an assault charge was made, there is little deterrent to false allegations absent such a response. The most the police reportedly did was collect the $13 fare — which Yasa later returned on principle.

For the full story, click here.