Kellye Stephens, 22, laughed and joked with friends in the Barre District Courthouse Wednesday. She was there to learn when she may be going to trial for felony perjury-- accused of creating false evidence that sent an innocent man to prison.
We gave her a chance to tell her side of the story.
Reporter Brian Joyce: I interviewed Mr. Anderson this morning by phone from Illinois and I'm here to ask you why you did this to him for a story tonight on Channel 3?
Stephens turned away and did not tell us why she allegedly framed 22-year-old Rick Anderson a year ago, sending him to prison for three months.
By telephone Anderson told us he is still uncertain why she did it.
"When I asked my lawyer about that he said, he said irrational hatred. So I'm just gonna stick with that," Anderson said.
Anderson says he met Stephens through the online dating service PlentyofFish.com a year ago. He says they went out four times but it didn't click and he saw her for the last time in April. So he was shocked two days later when she went to Northfield Police and claimed he was stalking her and sending her death threats via the internet. Anderson was arrested, charged with making death threats and stalking, and packed off to the St. Johnsbury prison.
"It was literally living hell... No one knew where I was at so I couldn't get a change of clothes," he said. "Why am I here? I'm innocent. That's what I'm thinking the whole time. I never did anything wrong."
Anderson couldn't afford the $10,000 bail so he languished in prison for 92 days.
That's when police computer investigators finally figured out that Stephens had written the threatening e-mails on her own computer and framed Anderson.
"It's a small unit and their workload is such that it wasn't at the top of their list. They had other items to examine before they got to this one," Washington County Prosecutor Tom Kelly explained.
Anderson was freed immediately.
"I got down on my knees and I thanked God the good Lord above," Anderson said.
Stephens was charged with felony perjury and reporting a false crime. Prosecutors say they will seek a sentence of at least 92 days in prison for her -- equaling Anderson's prison time.
"What she did really hurt my feelings. Especially because all I ever was was nice to her," Anderson said. "That it hurt my feelings. That's all I'd like to say that's all I have to say to that woman."
Now, Anderson resides in Illinois with his grandmother and he is unemployed. He has retained a lawyer and may sue Stephens.
Northfield Police were unavailable for comment Wednesday, but legal experts tell us there is little likelihood of success suing the police because they simply did their job.
No trial date has been set for Stephens, but it appears it would come in May at the earliest.
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