Brian Banks was a junior and a tremendously talented football player at the world-famous Long Beach Polytechnic High School—an institution that has produced more NFL players than any other in the country. He was receiving attention from Division I programs, and many believed Brian would make it to the National Football League. He was in good company: four of his classmates—DeSean Jackson, Darnell Bing, Winston Justice, and Marcedes Lewis—would eventually play in the league. His future looked very bright.

That is, until Brian was falsely accused of rape by a female classmate who knowingly lied to the police. Her deception not only destroyed his football career and future but also sent him to prison for more than five years. To make matters worse, Brian’s accuser was awarded millions of dollars in a civil suit against the school district. Upon his release, Brian tried to rebuild his life, but his false status as a sex offender closed door after door.

Eventually, Brian sought help from the California Innocence Project (CIP) to clear his name. It wasn’t enough that he was free—he wanted his life back before it passed him by. After persuading Justin Brooks, founder and then director of CIP, to take his case, Brian undertook a perilous legal gamble that ultimately paid off. That risky move not only proved his innocence but also saved him from a zealous prosecutor trying to send him back to prison.

Brian’s Story is a three-episode series told in his own voice and hosted by Michael Semanchik, Executive Director of The Innocence Center. Tune in to hear how Brian cleared his name and won a spot in the NFL.

Special thanks to our sponsor Clio – Cloud-Based Legal Technology.

Written by:
Laurence Colletti