Woman fabricates rape story after allegedly killing man with table leg in NYC

A woman with a lengthy criminal history has been arrested for allegedly beating a man to death with a wooden table leg in New York City on Tuesday. Sabrina Charles, 39, was subsequently charged with murder and possession of a weapon. Charles claimed that the victim, who has not yet been identified, had raped her. Those allegations were revealed to be fabricated after security camera footage contradicted her version of events. 

According to the New York Daily News, the incident took place shortly before 4:30 am on Hancock Place and 124th Street in Harlem. Charles and the victim smoked crack together before moving in between two parked cars, where they proceeded to engage in a sex act that appeared to be consensual. She then asked him to pay more for the drugs they had consumed. After that, Charles picked up a discarded wooden table leg and approached the victim from behind as he was lighting his crack pipe, smacking him over the head nearly 30 times.

Charles proceeded to take the victim's pants off and attempt to steal his belongings, which included a public benefits card and $200 in cash. The blood-stained article of clothing was found in Charles' purse. To cover her tracks, she also moved his body out of the way and changed her outfit. She also told a witness that he had dragged her down and tried to rape her,

When police arrived on scene a short time later, Charles tried to evade capture by hiding between cars and garbage cans. It was only when officers threatened to taze her that she finally gave up. As she was being taken into custody, the victim was transported to Mount Sinai Morningside hospital, but succumbed to his injuries. Charles, whose criminal history includes 14 arrests, is being held without bail.