Michigan woman faked anti-gay attack to “raise awareness”
Mari Poindexter punched herself in the face to exaggerate claims of homophobic abuse
A Michigan lesbian woman has been fined $225 and sentenced to six months probation after lying about an anti-gay attack. Mari Poindexter punched herself in the face to exaggerate claims of homophobic abuse in August last year.
Poindexter originally told The Morning Sun that she was assaulted while attending a Toby Keith concert at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mt Pleasant, MI. She alleged that a man had invaded her personal space and uttered homophobic insults, including “cross-dressing fag.”
She then claimed that the man later attacked her in the parking lot of the Cabin Bar, punching her in the face and spitting on her, leaving her with a black eye and a cut above her eyebrow. Poindexter shared her story on social media, where it went viral, garnering messages of support and media coverage. She also gained public support from Central Michigan University, her employer. As it would transpire, she had falsified the parking lot attack.
When police told her that they had CCTV footage from the parking lot they wanted her to watch, she withdrew her support, according to court records. Later that night, a friend phoned Isabella County Central Dispatch, concerned that Poindexter was about to harm herself. According to a recording of the call, Poindexter had admitted that the had fabricated the attack in the parking lot.
“She made the story up about being assaulted by a male subject at the bar and punched herself in the eye because she wanted to raise awareness about the social hardships of people in the LGBTQ+ community,” according to a police statement.
Poindexter was charged with lying to a police offer and filing a false police report, but after pleading guilty to the latter misdemeanor charge, the former was dropped (also a misdemeanor). According to her lawyer, Dan O’Neil, Poindexter — who had no criminal record prior to her sentencing — was overwhelmed by her dedication to LGBT issues.
“On the night in question, she was accosted, by another patron at a local concert,” O’Neil wrote. “The assault included many homophobic remarks, very mean spirited.” She was so angered by the man’s comments that she “made the mistake of exaggerating the assault” in order to draw attention to the issue of homophobic abuse.
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