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Duke lacrosse accuser charged in boyfriend's death

A Durham County grand jury on Monday indicted the Durham woman who falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of rape in 2006 on a murder charge in connection with a fatal stabbing two weeks ago.

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crystal mangum
DURHAM, N.C. — A Durham County grand jury on Monday indicted the Durham woman who falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of rape in 2006 on a murder charge in connection with a fatal stabbing two weeks ago.

Crystal Mangum, 32, was initially charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill in the April 3 stabbing. The victim, Reginald Daye, 46, died last Wednesday from his injuries.

The stabbing occurred in Daye's apartment, at 3507 Century Oaks Drive. Police said he was stabbed in the torso with a kitchen knife during an argument.

A man who said he was Daye's nephew called 911 to report the stabbing, saying it occurred while Daye and his girlfriend were arguing about rent money.

When asked for a description of the girlfriend, the caller said, "It's Crystal Mangum. THE Crystal Mangum."

He then added, "I told him she was trouble from the beginning."

Daye and Mangum had been dating for about a month, but his family members said they weren't a couple. They said Daye was only trying to help Mangum get back on her feet and had provided her a place to stay.

Mangum was being held in the Durham County jail on a $300,000 bond.

In March 2006, Mangum claimed three white players on the Duke lacrosse team trapped her inside a bathroom at 610 N. Buchanan Blvd., where she was performing as a stripper at a team party, and raped and sexually assaulted her.

Her story about the incident was so inconsistent that state officials later declared the players innocent, saying there was no credible evidence against them.

In February 2010, police arrested Mangum after an altercation between her and a different boyfriend. In that incident, she was accused of assaulting the man in front of her children and setting some of his clothes on fire.

She was convicted in December of child abuse, injury to personal property and resisting a public officer in the case, but prosecutors dismissed an arson charge after a jury couldn't reach a verdict.

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