Identical twins Kayla and Kellie Bingham were accused of cheating connected a aesculapian schoolhouse exam successful 2016. Last month, they won a defamation lawsuit against the Medical University of South Carolina and were awarded $1.5 cardinal successful damages, according to tribunal documents.
Kayla and Kellie, past 24, were successful their 2nd twelvemonth of studies astatine MUSC erstwhile they took the trial successful May 2016, according to Insider. Kellie told the outlet that they were fixed assigned seats "about 4 oregon 5 feet apart" astatine the aforesaid array — but that they couldn't spot each different — for the exam.
A module subordinate who was remotely monitoring the test-taking noticed that the twins "were progressing likewise done their examinations and had galore of the aforesaid incorrect answers," the twins alleged successful tribunal documents filed up of past month's trial.
They besides claimed that the proctor had been told to support an oculus connected them and took notes connected their behaviour during the test, noting however they'd "nodded their heads during the examination, and occasionally pushed backmost from their computers, looked astir the classroom, oregon shuffled their scratch paper."
Two weeks aft the exam, the module members accused them of cheating, according to Insider.
MUSC did not instantly respond to PEOPLE's petition for comment.
A consequent missive sent to the President of the College of Medicine's Honor Council stated "that cheating had occurred and Plaintiffs were signaling 1 different and passing notes," the twins alleged successful tribunal documents.
Speaking with Insider, Kayla said that "there was nary signaling" and "we were conscionable nodding astatine a question astatine our ain machine screens."
They were initially recovered blameworthy by the school's Honor Council. However, connected entreaty the determination was reversed, according to tribunal documents.
"We thought it had gone away," Kellie told Insider. However, Kayla told the outlet that wherever they went, "people would gossip astir america and we'd get a acold reception."
Court documents allege that the findings of the Honor Council were "leaked to the pupil body" and "due to the ensuing hostility," the twins near aesculapian schoolhouse and went connected to "abandon their plans for careers successful medicine altogether."
"It honestly killed me," Kellie told Insider. "I'd dreamed astir being a doc since I was small — Kayla and I wanted to assistance people."
After withdrawing from the schoolhouse successful September 2016, the twins filed the suit successful 2017, according to the outlet.
"We weren't going to rotation implicit and fto our estimation beryllium ruined," remarked Kayla.
After going to proceedings past month, a assemblage sided with the twins and awarded each sister $750,000 successful damages, according to tribunal documents.
During the trial, a behavioral genetics adept testified that twins are "genetically predisposed to behave the aforesaid way" and that cheating complaints against twins are "common," Insider reported.
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"Kellie and Kayla were taxable to a implicit deficiency of knowing of the interaction of their corresponding familial profiles," Nancy Segal, who founded the Twin Studies Center astatine California State University, Fullerton, said successful a connection obtained by PEOPLE.
"Scientific probe shows that identical twins person similarities that spell acold beyond their shared appearance," Segal added, explaining that owed to akin "cognitive processes and effect times" arsenic good arsenic "typically being raised successful the aforesaid environment," having akin trial scores is "a communal occurrence among identical twins."
Another prof besides wrote a missive successful their defence according to the outlet. In the letter, the prof reportedly said the twins had the nonstop aforesaid answers connected an exam helium supervised successful 2012 — and that they were sitting connected other ends of the country astatine the time.
In a merchandise obtained by PEOPLE, it was noted that the twins person "often obtained the nonstop aforesaid people connected tests they took connected antithetic days and successful antithetic locations," including connected their SATs.
As for what the aboriginal holds, some sisters completed instrumentality schoolhouse past year, graduating with akin people constituent averages, according to the statement.
"Our verdict has fixed america anticipation again arsenic we look up to our aboriginal and careers," Kellie said.
"There were aggregate points of nonaccomplishment from module and unit that led to our experience," added Kayla, noting that though it was achy to relieve the past, "we had to basal up and combat for the truth."
"Hopefully our lawsuit volition guarantee different twins are not victimized similar we were," she continued.
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