Mike Tyson’s Prison Sentence: The Rape Conviction and Its Aftermath

Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight boxing champion, was convicted of rape in 1992 and subsequently served time in prison. The incident occurred in July 1991 when Tyson was arrested for attacking 18-year-old Desiree Washington, a contestant in the Miss Black America pageant, at the Canterbury Hotel in Indianapolis. Washington testified that Tyson had picked her up in his limo, took her to his hotel room, and despite her refusal, he pinned her down and raped her.

Tyson’s trial took place from January 26 to February 10, 1992, at the Marion County superior court. He was charged with one count of rape, two counts of criminal deviate conduct, and one count of criminal confinement. The prosecution presented testimony from Washington, Tyson’s chauffeur Virginia Foster, and an emergency room physician, Dr. Thomas Richardson, which corroborated Washington’s account of the assault. Despite Tyson’s claims that the encounter was consensual, he was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison.

Tyson served less than three years of his six-year sentence before being released on parole in March 1995. His conviction and subsequent imprisonment were highly publicized and marked a significant turning point in his career and public image.