AL - Carlethia “Carlee” Russell, 25, faked own abduction, Birmingham, 13 Jul ‘23 #5

[imstilla.grandma]

* So, this was her story. Did she really say with her admission of faking the kidnapping and saying she was alone, that all of the below is a lie? Does it now wipe away her version? All of it? I’d love for some of y’all to dissect why she included certain details. Ya know the saying they’re a little truth mixed in with lies. Is there a single detail that could be trhe? And why won’t she give it up now? Is the truth really much more secretive and damning than where she stands now? Why did she use these specifics? Armchair psychiatrists could have a field day.

Her Story​

After returning home, Russell allegedly told investigators that a man with orange hair and a big bald spot abducted her.

“She claimed he then forced her into a car, and the next thing she remembers is being in the trailer of an 18-wheeler,” Derzis said.

Russell allegedly said she could hear him conversing with a female while a baby could be heard crying. She claimed she escapedW the 18-wheeler but was caught, blindfolded, and put into a car. She claimed she was not tied up and heard the captors say it was because they didn’t want to leave impressions on her wrist.

She claimed she was brought to a house and forced to strip naked. She believed her alleged captors took photographs of her but said she was not sexually assaulted. The following morning she was fed and the woman “played with her hair” before she was put back in a vehicle that she was able to escape. She then ran through the woods and claimed she came out near her home.

Cops still have questions after charging Carlee Russell with faking her disappearance

Authorities have charged an Alabama woman with fabricating her own kidnapping, thereby wasting the time and resources of law enforcement and other people who searched for her.

lawandcrime.com

 

[Shamrock1]

I've never heard of that term before, can you clarify what it means?

Shows that sensationalize and dramatize criminal law and criminal procedure. Law & Order is a good example of a show that takes a lot of artistic liberties. One particularly egregious example of this is the idea that maintaining silence or seeking an attorney is clear-cut proof of guilt.

Not saying that these are “bad” shows - just noting that they’re not necessarily accurate and that some lay people regard them as accurate in terms of the law and policing. One example of this is forensics, where criminal lawyers need to explain to the jury that CSI isn’t real.

 

[Cubby]

It’s possible, if the DA and prosecutors want to go all out and make an example of the case.
ETA:
Reading further posts, we’re reminded that it must be proven that she chose to create a white abductor due to his race. It might seem obvious to some but not to others….

Respectfully, what was she going to say, a black man kidnapped her? Not a chance.

Though, I gotta wonder why she brought race into it at all. Why not just say it all happened so fast, it was dark, she was blindfolded, she didn't know.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Shows that sensationalize and dramatize criminal law and criminal procedure. Law & Order is a good example of a show that takes a lot of artistic liberties. One particularly egregious example of this is the idea that maintaining silence or seeking an attorney is clear-cut proof of guilt.

Not saying that these are “bad” shows - just noting that they’re not necessarily accurate and that some lay people regard them as accurate in terms of the law and policing. One example of this is forensics, where criminal lawyers need to explain to the jury that CSI isn’t real.

Thank you, that helps a great deal.

 

[Snail-Overlord]

IMHO, there isn’t really any relation to race that I can see here. I don’t think Carlee put a lot of thought into what the race of the fake kidnapper would be, other than to come up with some sort of description to give authorities. I just don’t think she thought, “I’m going to tell them a white guy did it.”

This case is getting compared to Sheri Papini due to the similarities. But there’s a big difference in that Sheri Papini, as we now know, had a history of being racist towards Mexicans. She described her fake kidnappers using racist Mexican stereotypes, and her ruse contributed towards animosity and fear that already exists towards Mexicans in the U.S.

I just don’t feel like this has the same implications at all. There weren’t any racial stereotypes used and it didn’t seem like there was any implication that we need to fear balding ginger white guys because they’re dangerous criminals. It honestly sounds to me like she just came up with a specific description because she thought it’d make her sound more believable.

All JMO

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Hate crime enhancements have very strict requirements. Contrary to “copaganda” shows, the mere fact that the victim was of a different race doesn’t elevate it to a hate crime. There has to be some showing that the victim was targeted because of his race. https://codes.findlaw.com/al/title-13a-criminal-code/al-code-sect-13a-5-13/

Shari Papini was certainly vilified immediately for the description she gave of her fake abductors. Seems like there are two sets of rules, at least in the court of public opinion. MOO

 

[SMK777]

IMHO, there isn’t really any relation to race that I can see here. I don’t think Carlee put a lot of thought into what the race of the fake kidnapper would be, other than to come up with some sort of description to give authorities. I just don’t think she thought, “I’m going to tell them a white guy did it.”

This case is getting compared to Sheri Papini due to the similarities. But there’s a big difference in that Sheri Papini, as we now know, had a history of being racist towards Mexicans. She described her fake kidnappers using racist Mexican stereotypes, and her ruse contributed towards animosity and fear that already exists towards Mexicans in the U.S.

I just don’t feel like this has the same implications at all. There weren’t any racial stereotypes used and it didn’t seem like there was any implication that we need to fear balding ginger white guys because they’re dangerous criminals. It honestly sounds to me like she just came up with a specific description because she thought it’d make her sound more believable.

All JMO

You’re probably right, yes.

 

[wary]

You’re probably right, yes.

She certainly played on prejudices by putting him in an 18 wheeler.

 

[SMK777]

She certainly played on prejudices by putting him in an 18 wheeler.

Hmmm, maybe….

 

[arielilane]

“This story opened wounds for families whose loved ones really were victims of kidnappings,” Derzis said.

He said police have not determined where Russell went during the 49 hours she was missing. They plan to talk to the attorney general’s office about recovering some of the money spent on the investigation.

Alabama authorities charge Carlee Russell for fabricating story about kidnapping, finding toddler

altoday.com

By Associated Press - July 31, 2023

 

[GoBuckeyes]

“This story opened wounds for families whose loved ones really were victims of kidnappings,” Derzis said.

He said police have not determined where Russell went during the 49 hours she was missing. They plan to talk to the attorney general’s office about recovering some of the money spent on the investigation.

Alabama authorities charge Carlee Russell for fabricating story about kidnapping, finding toddler

altoday.com

By Associated Press - July 31, 2023

The longer it goes where she won't tell LE where she was, the more I think she probably had help. MOO

 

[charminglane]

The longer it goes where she won't tell LE where she was, the more I think she probably had help. MOO

I read it as she was holed up in one of her mother's houses for sale.
And that mom desperately doesn't want that to become public.
IMO.

 

[SMK777]

I read it as she was holed up in one of her mother's houses for sale.
And that mom desperately doesn't want that to become public.
IMO.

That’s a real possibility.

 

[Quill]

The longer it goes where she won't tell LE where she was, the more I think she probably had help. MOO

My thoughts exactly @GoBuckeyes.

 

[SMK777]

My thoughts exactly @GoBuckeyes.

The longer it goes where she won't tell LE where she was, the more I think she probably had help. MOO

It does seem that way, because since she’s already admitted to the hoax, and that no abduction took place, what would be the harm in admitting that she was holed up somewhere, as she had to have been— unless she’s trying to prevent it from becoming a bigger story with more parties involved than just herself.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

Question for current students or teachers: If she's not currently enrolled, will she have to start making payments on student loans?

Because <moo> she's in loan debt up to her eyeballs.

I'm not a current student or teacher, however, I used to be a government contractor dealing with federal student loans. Does she have federal loans through FASFA or private student loans from a bank (i.e. Sallie Mae)?

Federal loans are a lot more forgiving when it comes to not being enrolled. She could get an unemployment deferment if she's not working, financial hardship deferments exist too. You also get 36 months of forbearance time (for the entire life of the loan) when you can use those months to not have a payment due without any kind of qualification needed other than you, the borrower, requesting said forbearance.

She could also be in repayment and apply for income based repayment (IBR) which they will take her income and number of dependents to determine what her monthly payment will be. I saw so many people who were on this repayment plan with a $0 monthly payment. She may have been using forbearance or deferment time previously and though you don't have a payment due each month, any unsubsidized loans (in deferment OR forbearance) would still accrue interest and make her balance higher and higher. When in a deferment, subsidized federal loans do not gain interest.

 

[mickey2942]

Sorry, but this is as vile as the stories told by Susan Smith, Charles Stuart, Sherry Papini, Jussie Smollett, Tawana Brawley...and many others. Lies.

 

[Teche]

I'm not a current student or teacher, however, I used to be a government contractor dealing with federal student loans. Does she have federal loans through FASFA or private student loans from a bank (i.e. Sallie Mae)?

Federal loans are a lot more forgiving when it comes to not being enrolled. She could get an unemployment deferment if she's not working, financial hardship deferments exist too. You also get 36 months of forbearance time (for the entire life of the loan) when you can use those months to not have a payment due without any kind of qualification needed other than you, the borrower, requesting said forbearance.

She could also be in repayment and apply for income based repayment (IBR) which they will take her income and number of dependents to determine what her monthly payment will be. I saw so many people who were on this repayment plan with a $0 monthly payment. She may have been using forbearance or deferment time previously and though you don't have a payment due each month, any unsubsidized loans (in deferment OR forbearance) would still accrue interest and make her balance higher and higher. When in a deferment, subsidized federal loans do not gain interest.

Maybe her parents paid her tuition. Not all students need loans or grants for in-state tuition.

 

[arielilane]

Carlee has made an impact. moo

Lawmakers want to increase penalty for false report of abduction

Legislators say a stronger law is needed because of the large amount of time and money that false reports can cause.

www.al.com

Jul. 31, 2023, 9:30 a.m.

Several Alabama lawmakers said they are working on bills to increase the penalty for reporting a false abduction, a response to the Carlee Russell case.

Russell has been charged with two misdemeanors for her false report. Legislators say stronger penalties are needed because of the amount of time and money that police, volunteers and others can spend in response to a false kidnapping report.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

Maybe her parents paid her tuition. Not all students need loans or grants for in-state tuition.

I wasn't implying that all students need loans or grants for in-state tuition. My grandmother died and left me money to use for college so I didn't have any student loans. The OP asked specifically if someone stopped attending school would they need to start paying their student loans back and that CR was up to her eyeballs in student debt.