In 1991, Miss Black Rhode Island, Desiree Washington, made headlines in the print media when she accused world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson of raping her. The latter recently discussed the incident in the ABC documentary Mike Tyson: Knockout and her name have been in the news ever since.
Who Was Desiree Washington and What Happened With Her?
In 1991, Washington represented her home state of Rhode Island at the Miss Black America Pageant. According to her, Tyson invited her into his room at the Canterbury Hotel on July 19, 1991, where she was raped and assaulted. She later checked into the hospital’s emergency room and disclosed the rape to the attending physician.
The entire incident was covered by numerous reputable newspapers. The Los Angeles Times reported that the former model punched the heavyweight champion and unsuccessfully attempted to defend herself.
Virginia Foster, Tyson’s chauffeur, corroborated her testimony and disclosed that Washington was in a state of utter shock following the unfortunate incident.
Over twenty-four hours after the incident, she was examined by a physician, who later confirmed that the physical condition of her genitalia was consistent with rape.
Tyson, on the other hand, denied all charges and defended himself by asserting that everything was done with Washington’s consent. Therefore, the incident cannot in any way be considered rape.
The judge found him guilty, and he was sentenced to six years in prison. In light of his good behavior, he was granted parole after serving less than three years of his sentence.
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More than two decades have passed since the occurrence. However, Tyson continues to refute the model’s claims.
Where is Desiree Washington Now?
The incident thrust her into the spotlight. To put her thoughts on paper, the entire incident affected her mental health and caused her and her family severe trauma.
After this, the former model turned her back on the spotlight, and she now appears to be enjoying her low-key lifestyle.
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Numerous individuals, including Tyson’s supporters and the media, viewed her as a scapegoat after the incident. Following this, in 1992, Washington decided to participate in an interview with Barbara Walter.
During the interview, she opened up about how the incident completely altered her personality and how she went from being a vivacious, outgoing woman to someone who stayed in her room all day.
During the interview, it drew a great deal of attention when she disclosed that she was offered $1 million to retake the case.
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