Charlie Rogers, who claims she was attacked in a hate crime this summer, is speaking out to defend her innocence. She talks at length about how she is a victim. What do you see?
You can see Charlie’s original plea to the media before her arrest here as well as read my comments.
Many people are questioning if Charlie Rogers’ story is true or not. She claims that three masked men broke into her home, painted anti-gay slurs on her walls, bound her with zip ties and carved the word “dyke” into her stomach. Then they poured gasoline on the floor and left and she managed to escape naked to a neighbors house to get help.
When I first watched this video, I felt Charlie’s
(Revised at 12 CST due to a correction: Fatima says “you” instead of “she” as I had earlier posted).
Fatima Al Himidi speaks out after finding her mother savagely beaten in the family home.
I am immediately struck by Fatima’s demeanor in this video. She covers her eyes by wearing sunglasses which is notable because she is supposedly crying, but more than that, she shows none of the indications of a girl who is sad, or stressed, which I would expect to see both after what she has endured. I don’t see any tears at all running down past her sunglasses. I don’t see any real signs of crying, either.
I also don’t see any fear which I would expect–especially if this killer came into the family home.
Her demeanor also varies notably and is not consistent.
Fatima says,”You took my mother away from me. You took my best friend away from me. Why?”
Why is Fatima giving up hope before her mom is dead — talking about her as if she already passed when she is still alive in this video? Most victims and family members hold on to hope that their loved one will survive until the very last moment, but Fatima doesn’t. It’s notable.
Fatima goes on to rant about whoever did this is a terrorist, and if you notice when she does this, there is no emotional pain in her voice whatsoever. Its more like she is giving a lecture or yelling at a school friend. It really stands out to me.
“You’re an animal, whoever you are. You are not even an animal,” she says.
After which she acts like she breaks down, but it is clearly an act.
Fatima says, “If you were a man, you’d come to her face. You wouldn’t do it behind her back.”
How does Fatima know her mom was attacked from behind? This intrigues me. Is this something investigators shared with her, or did she just guess at this when she found her mom severely injured with a tire iron? I would think with a lot of blood, it would be hard to tell.
I find Fatima’s demeanor odd and notable without question.
Fatima’s mom, Shaima Al Awadi, passed away Saturday from her injuries. Police believe this was an isolated incident.
Update 1:23 PM: A reader has mentioned that Fatima’s culture may affect how she is coming across. This is very valid and people who are knowledgeable about this, please share your thoughts. I do not want to discount how culture can affect behavior. Thank you.
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