Alleged Rape Victim Hired Man to Beat Her in Return for Sex, D.A. Says

SANTA CRUZ, CA -- The student who claimed to have been raped on the UC Santa Cruz campus reportedly had a man beat her and then have sex with her shortly before calling police and saying she was raped, the Santa Cruz District Attorney's office alleged Friday.

Morgan Triplett, 20, pleaded not guilty to all charges during a court appearance Friday.

Triplett was on the UCSC campus Feb. 16 and 17  for a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender conference, said Assistant District Attorney Johanna Schonfield, in an interview outside the courtroom Friday morning. She is a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Triplett took out two ads on Craigslist, one asking for someone to shoot her in the shoulder and the other asking to be beaten in return for sex. "No charges would be filed," the ads said, according to Schonfield.

UCSC police found the ads during an intensive investigation that started President's Day weekend, when the rape report terrified the campus. Schonfield has asked for reimbursement of the police costs as part of the sentence, if Triplett is convicted.

"She was suicidal and she wanted something to bring her back to reality," Schonfield said was the reason Triplett posted the ad asking to be shot. 

"The second ad, which ultimately was the one responded to, was seeking someone with a strong hand to inflict punches, bruises and kicks and compensation was to be provided with sex."

A man answered the ad, beat Triplett, and had sex with her on campus Feb. 17, Schonfield said. The man, who she wouldn't name, is cooperating with investigators. He isn't from Santa Cruz, she said.

"Several people responded to the ad," said Schonfield.

Triplett then called 911 and said she was attacked, beaten and raped on a campus trail and gave police a description of the alleged attacker for a sketch. Ten days later, police said the rape claim was fake.

Triplett appeared in Santa Cruz County Court with her father, who asked that the court not allow photographs of her. "There's been enough damage already," he said.

Judge John Gallagher, however, allowed pictures after Schonfield argued that the public had a right to know about this case in light of the terror it caused on the UCSC campus.

Triplett's father, Richard Triplett, spoke with a Register-Pajaronian newspaper reporter outside of the courthouse. He disputed how the case was characterized. Read about it here.

If convicted of the misdemeanor of filing a false police report, Triplett could get six months in county jail and pay restitution to police for the dozens of hours spent investigating the crime.

Schonfield asked that the student be allowed her freedom while waiting for a May 23 court date because Triplett is undergoing psychological treatment for depression. Judge Gallagher ordered her to stay off the Internet except for school work because, he said, her online activities were a major part of the case.

District Attorney Bob Lee sat in the courtroom during the hearing.