Good point. You do have alot of factors to consider there:
-Is the report creditable?
-Did they truly investigate and find the man's story to be true, 100%?
-Is there political smoke?
-What was the motive?
-Did this man take a plea deal or some offer, under the table, so that it would detour further investigation?
Either way or any way we slice it, I do not think we need to ruin the dude's life over it. It was stupid, if anything.