|
| |
Press
» Back to Press
Homeless man freed after 'error': Three girls falsely accused him of attacking them
from The Associated Press
appeared in The Kansas City Star, March 04, 2004
GARDEN GROVE, Calif. -- Eric Nordmark was baffled and terrified when police arrested him last May and accused him of attacking three 12-year-old girls in a park.
The police were "high-fiving, calling me a creep, calling me a bum, calling me a wino," said Nordmark, who was homeless. "I've never been so freaked out in my life."
The 37-year-old Nordmark was so scared of being sent away to prison -- so afraid of being preyed upon as a child abuser by other inmates -- that he resolved to cut his throat if found guilty.
It never came to that.
After nearly eight months in jail, Nordmark was set free Jan. 26 when one of the girls admitted they made up the story as an excuse for coming home late from school.
Police have charged the three girls with conspiracy, and one of them with perjury as well. They face an appearance in juvenile court Thursday.
"We made an error in believing, but so did a lot of people," said Mayor Bruce A. Broadwater. "They fooled the judge, they fooled the district attorney's office, they fooled everybody."
Attorneys for the girls declined to comment.
Nordmark blames the police more than the girls.
"Who's the only victim? Me. And why am I victim? Becasue the cops bungled their case," he said.
|
|
|
