Though the United States Government states that an individual is innocent until proven guilty, the media likes to think of itself as judge, jury, and executioner. At least this has been the case for Reuben Foster, linebacker for the San Francisco 49er’s. Foster was alleged to have beaten his then-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, and was charged with two felonies: domestic violence and attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime.

These charges came after being charged with marijuana possession as a player at the University of Alabama, and an altercation with a nurse at the NFL combine. These previous charges did him no favors as the media decided that he should be cut. As the internet and 49er’s fan base lit up, they seemed eager to forget that all we had seen was what the victim had told the police.

Weeks later it came to light that not only that there was a video of Ennis fighting with another woman that was filmed not long before Foster’s alleged domestic violence, but that she had also served jail time for a similar false accusation of domestic violence in 2011. Though the legal case isn’t yet concluded, it makes even the harshest critic of Foster step back and think about the innocent til proven guilty philosophy.

When the case came to court Ennis testified that she had not only falsely accused Foster, but also stolen two Rolex watches and more than $8,000 via wire fraud while he was in jail. Following an attempt from Foster to break up with Ennis, Ennis was quoted as saying: “I told him: ‘I’m about to f**k yo shit up, make sure you don’t have a job tomorrow.’” This likely would have been the case if not for the patience of 49er’s General Manager John Lynch, who has been facing intense scrutiny for not cutting Foster immediately. Though he stated that Foster would be cut if found guilty, outspoken fans wanted a zero tolerance policy that could have needlessly killed Foster’s career.

Though this case has yet to be closed, Ennis’ testimony and previous history will make this case near impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Foster’s reputation will no doubt take some damage from this event, but the real tragedy lies in the fact that Ennis’ action will only make it harder for other victims to be taken seriously. If Ennis’ statements are true, she should face punishment for her actions against Foster. It can be rare that women making false accusations get reprimanded because it adds pressure to women making real claims, but given the high profile nature of this case, she should see some form of punishment. Hopefully this story can spread awareness that both sides can become victims and that false accusations will not be tolerated when so many women face real hardships.