Desiree Washington is a former Miss Black Rhode Island beauty pageant winner and model from Rhode Island, United States. She gained national attention in the early 1990s after accusing heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson of rape—an accusation that led to a high-profile trial and Tyson's subsequent conviction. Tyson is widely regarded as one of the most powerful and controversial heavyweight boxers in history.
Desiree Washington was born and raised in Rhode Island, one of four children to Donald and Mary Washington. Her upbringing was marked by academic and extracurricular success. She graduated with honors from Coventry High School and went on to study psychology at Providence College. Known to be friendly and ambitious, Washington had early aspirations of pursuing a career in law or politics, alongside a longstanding interest in modeling.
The events following the assault had a profound and lasting effect on Washington and her family. The public scrutiny surrounding the case reportedly contributed to her parents' divorce and caused difficulties for her siblings at school. In the years that followed, Washington chose to maintain a private life, stepping away from public appearances and limiting details about her personal life.
The rape trial involving Desiree Washington and Mike Tyson took place at Marion County Superior Court from January 26 to February 10, 1992. The incident occurred in July 1991, when Washington, then 18 years old and attending the Miss Black America Pageant in Indianapolis, received a phone call from Tyson, who invited her to meet him.
According to Washington's account, Tyson arranged to have a limousine pick her up at 2:00 a.m. and bring her to his hotel. There, she stated, he raped her. Tyson claimed their interaction was entirely consensual.
Testimony presented during the trial included statements from Virginia Foster, Tyson’s limousine driver and a school counselor, who said Washington appeared “dizzy and disoriented” upon returning to the car, and described her as being in a visible state of distress. Additionally, Dr. Thomas Richardson, an emergency room physician, testified that an examination of Washington more than 24 hours after the incident revealed physical findings consistent with her claim of rape.
The case stirred significant media attention. While Tyson's defense attempted to portray Washington as seeking financial gain through the accusation, supporters of Washington emphasized the trauma she endured and the seriousness of the charges. The trial sparked national conversations around celebrity, accountability, and the treatment of sexual assault victims.
