Chalmers Breaks Silence on LAX Case (Duke Lacrosse)

abc11TV.com ^ | July 7, 2006 | Darla Miles

[Howlin]

(07/07/06 -- DURHAM) - After almost four months out of the spotlight, Durham Police Chief Steve Chalmers is speaking exclusively with Eyewitness News about the Duke lacrosse case.

"I made a conscious decision at the beginning of that investigation, as chief of police and as this organization's concerned, that we would not actually discussing this case in the media," he said. "I felt that there were individuals who had decided to step up and be vocal and talk about the case. Of course, the district attorney decided that there were certain things he wanted to discuss, and even the city manager had taken the opportunity had taken the opportunity to talk about. "With that being done, I didn't really think it was a need really to further discuss the case in the media."

Chalmers has stayed out of the media, but he is keeping a close eye on everything that is being said.

"Everything that we've seen written in the papers and heard, certainly we've addressed that internally, and we're prepared to address it in court," he said.

The chief says that he anticipated criticism would come with the high-profile case.

"The main thing that we're trying to do is protect the integrity of the investigation, to present a case that is not biased or has not been compromised," Chalmers said. "Our responsibility is to investigate the case, to protect the integrity of the case, and when the time comes, provide the evidence that we've gathered in a court of law to bring about a conviction.

"And I didn't think that that could be done, by actually discussing going tit-for-tat with the media."

Chalmers says he cannot discuss specifics of the case and will remain silent through the trial.

[Howlin]

DUKELAX PING!!!

[TommyDale]

He will remain silent, and let us think he is a fool, rather than speak and remove all doubt. Thanks to Abe Lincoln for letting me paraphrase that!

[rocksblues]

Name, Rank and Serial Number.

[Lurker]

"The main thing that we're trying to do is protect the integrity of the investigation"

It's waaaaaaay too late for that.

L

[Sacajaweau]

So what does NiFong have on Chalmer?

Sounds like there's something happening behind the scenes regarding charges to be filed or to be filed NiFong and/or with "cops" being a part of it. Bar discipline is "private" until it's over. Only the person who is charged is told.

[nopardons]

Well, that was a lot of nothin'.

[Howlin]

We can tell one thing from that remark, he's totally clueless.

Heads (and a$$e$) are going to roll over there.

[maggief]

Well, well, well ... Chalmers is smoked out.


Chalmers Breaks Silence on LAX Case

"I made a conscious decision at the beginning of that investigation, as chief of police and as this organization's concerned, that we would not actually discussing this case in the media," he said.


WTF! No word on dear ol' mom?!?


On Monday, Baker said he may be keeping close tabs on the lacrosse investigation, but he is qualified to do so based on his background as the assistant city attorney responsible for providing legal advice to the Police Department. Baker denied he was forced into day-to-day oversight of the investigation by the absence of Police Chief Steve Chalmers, who has been on leave attending to his gravely ill mother.

http://www.newsobserver.com/1185/story/439990.html


"I felt that there were individuals who had decided to step up and be vocal and talk about the case. Of course, the district attorney decided that there were certain things he wanted to discuss, and even the city manager had taken the opportunity had taken the opportunity to talk about.

"With that being done, I didn't really think it was a need really to further discuss the case in the media."


"Individuals who had decided to step up and be vocal" who were running for election? Did the DA and City Manager also take "the opportunity" to run police lineups contrary to the the Chalmers General Order 4077?

http://www.newsobserver.com/1185/story/434410.html


The lineup procedure ran contrary in two fundamental ways to the police department's General Order 4077 on Eyewitness Identification issued in February.

* Policy calls for an independent administrator to run the lineup, not the primary investigator. This avoids any unintentional influence from the investigator.

* The lineup should include five "fillers" -- people who have no connection to the case -- for every suspect, to protect against faulty identification. If an accuser picks a filler photograph, the defense is certain to challenge that witness's reliability.



"Everything that we've seen written in the papers and heard, certainly we've addressed that internally, and we're prepared to address it in court," he said.


I will bet you have seen everything written and heard. Too bad Nifong's sister was unavailable for comment.

"The main thing that we're trying to do is protect the integrity of the investigation, to present a case that is not biased or has not been compromised," Chalmers said. "Our responsibility is to investigate the case, to protect the integrity of the case, and when the time comes, provide the evidence that we've gathered in a court of law to bring about a conviction.

"And I didn't think that that could be done, by actually discussing going tit-for-tat with the media."

What investigation? The (NEGATIVE) DNA samples rushed through labs prior to Nifong's primary? The rush to the Grand Jury prior to Nifong's election? The rush to indict prior to Nifong's election? Appearances suggest a police chief stepped aside for others' political gains.

Where is Gottlieb's report? Still under protection?

How about the cell phone records? Protected?


...and when the time comes, provide the evidence that we've gathered in a court of law to bring about a conviction.

Of course, we can trust this "evidence" has been turned over to the defense.

[xsmommy]

why did he bother opening his yap, he didn't say squat!

[Howlin]

WTF! No word on dear ol' mom?!?

ROFLMAO. A good FReeper NEVER forgets!

[maggief]

LOL!

My hunch is someone in Durham gov is reading the N & O blogs, et al. We can't assume their reporters would ask those questions.

[TommyDale]

So what does NiFong have on Chalmers?

Perhaps the Chief's personal phone number on the accuser's (or her pimp's) cell phone?

[BossLady]

Good God.....is this the best reporter they could get to write this story??? Darla can barely form a coherent sentence!!

[Howlin]

Pitiful, isn't it?

[BossLady]

I swear I had to read it 3 times and still can't understand half of what she is trying to say.....guess it's all up to interpretation....LOL!

((Darla's next job will be at the NYT!!!))

[toldyou]

"Darla can barely form a coherent sentence!!"

If those are true quotes, Chalmers can't either.

[BossLady]

Either that or the typesetter had some cocktails before work!!! LOL!

[toldyou]

LOL!

[toldyou]

I just read this on the abclocal forum. It's hilarious:


The cause of Nifong's stupidity?

Lead in the water in Durham?

DURHAM -- Troublesome levels of lead have shown up in about 16 percent of the drinking-water samples local and state health officials gathered across the city recently as part of a state-sponsored pollution survey.

http://www.herald-sun.com/durham/4-747728.html

Proof that he drinks the tap water.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a313/funkbus/funny/nifongisanass.jpg