Crystal Mangum charged in Durham stabbing

DURHAM -- Crystal Mangum, the woman who was at the center of the Duke University lacrosse scandal, was charged with stabbing a man early this morning at a south Durham apartment.

Police charged Mangum, 32, with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, according to a statement by the Durham Police Department.

Police spokeswoman Kammie Michael said officers were dispatched to a stabbing call at 3507 Century Oaks Drive at 3:15 a.m.

When the officers arrived, they found a 46-year-old man who had been stabbed in the torso.

By late Sunday, police had not released the name of the male victim, who was described as Mangum’s boyfriend.

The stabbing apparently occurred during an argument between the couple, police reported.

The victim was taken to Duke University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

Officers found Mangum in a nearby apartment. She was arrested and transported her to the Durham County jail. She is being held in custody without benefit of bail, authorities said.

Five years ago, Mangum accused members of the Duke lacrosse team of sexually assaulting her while she was working as a stripper for an escort service.

The accusations were eventually labeled as false and the case was dismissed by state attorney general Roy Cooper, but not before the case garnered nationwide attention.

Mangum made the headlines again last year when Durham police charged her with felony arson, child abuse, vandalism and resisting a law enforcement officer.

In February 2010, police accused Mangum of slashing the vehicle tires of her boyfriend Milton Walker, smashing his windshield with a vacuum cleaner and setting fire to a pile of his clothes in a bathtub while the police and her three children were in her apartment.

Mangum was convicted of child abuse, vandalism and resisting an officer.

The felony arson charge against Mangum was dismissed earlier this year.