Mangum in custody, accused of violating release agreement

DURHAM -- Crystal Gail Mangum is in police custody under $150,000 bond after court officials accused her of violating a condition of a previous pre-trial release agreement.

An arrest warrant issued Wednesday charges Mangum with not complying with visitation hours detailed in her release agreement.

Mani Dexter, the attorney representing her, is consulting with the district attorney's office with hopes of scheduling a hearing later today.

Mangum, the discredited accuser in the Duke lacrosse case, was in court in July, on the day Duke University demolished the house where the 2006 lacrosse team held its infamous party, asking to be treated like anyone else fighting charges in the court system. At that time, court officials outlined an agreement through which Mangum could see her children.

On Feb. 18, officers responded to a domestic violence call at the Lincoln Street home that Mangum shared with a one-time boyfriend. Police say Mangum started a blaze by setting her boyfriend's clothes on fire in the bathtub. Her children, who in July were 11, 9 and 3, were present, according to police reports.

In April, a grand jury indicted Mangum on charges of first-degree arson, three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, injury to personal property, and resisting an officer. Her three children, ex-boyfriend Milton Walker and the officers are named as victims in the case.

When she went to jail in February, Mangum signed a consent order granting custody of the three children to the father of the two youngest, and that remains in force.

With consent from the district attorney's office in July, Morgan agreed to let Mangum see her children with supervision from the custodial father or an appointee of the court.

The children were to continue to live with the father, and Mangum had planned to move in with her ill mother.

The judge allowed the move and downgraded Mangum to electronic monitoring with a curfew, rather than 24-hour house arrest.

jesse.deconto@nando.com or 932-8760