Duke false accuser in court for domestic abuse charges

Story here. Excerpt:

'DURHAM -- When Cpl. John Tyler got to the small Lincoln Street apartment just after midnight in February he was responding to a 911 call placed by a scared 9-year-old girl, he testified Thursday.

"Once the telecommunicator heard the screaming, the complainant appeared to be scared and hung up," Tyler said describing the information he had as he entered Crystal Mangum's apartment.

Tyler was the second witness to testify Thursday in Mangum's trial, in which she faces multiple felony charges related to the Feb. 17 domestic violence call. The charges include arson, injury to personal property, resisting arrest and contributing to the delinquency, abuse or neglect of her children.

Attorneys spent five days weeding through 40 potential jurors to pick 12 and two alternates who could try Mangum without prejudging her credibility because of her false rape accusations in the Duke lacrosse case.

"That residence had a fire started in it while [Mangum's three children] were in it - by her," prosecutor Mark McCullough said, pointing at Mangum. "This case is not complicated."'