Mo. woman who lied in rape case free on parole

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- A woman whose false rape claim jailed an innocent southwest Missouri man for 21 months is now free after serving seven months.

Authorities said 41-year-old Judith Ann Lummis was paroled April 8, after serving part of a four-year sentence for an unrelated drug charge.

Prosecutors announced last August that Lummis had acknowledged making up the rape in 1998 to hide an extramarital affair.

Armand Villasana, of Springfield, was exonerated in 2000 based on DNA tests.

The resulting investigation prompted Lummis last August to tell prosecutors she made up the story.

The statute of limitations prevented her from being charged with perjury. But she was imprisoned last year for violating parole on the drug conviction.

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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com