Posted on 04/11/2007 7:46:54 AM PDT by Howlin
RALEIGH, N.C. — Three members of Duke University's lacrosse team could learn Wednesday whether state prosecutors will drop the remaining charges accusing them of sexually assaulting a stripper at a team party more than a year ago.
"I think it's likely that they will do that," said Wade Smith, an attorney for charged player Collin Finnerty. "We certainly hope that would be true. But until we hear it, we're not going to acknowledge that's the truth. We'll wait and see."
The state Attorney General's Office has scheduled a 2:30 p.m. news conference to discuss the case. It is unclear whether Attorney General Roy Cooper will be at the news conference at the RBC Center, which can accommodate the crush of national media interested in the case.
The Associated Press, citing sources close to the investigation, reported Wednesday morning that all charges would be dropped in the case.
The Attorney General's Office took over the case in January after Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong was charged with several ethics violations tied to his handling of the sensational case.
No notice of dismissal had been filed at the Durham County Courthouse by early Wednesday. But a spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office told WRAL that the investigation into the case has been completed.
"We are relieved that this day has come,” Smith told WRAL. “There will not be a celebration because this has been a train wreck.”
The families of Collin Finnerty, Reade Seligmann and David Evans arrived in Raleigh Tuesday. Officials told WRAL that the three lacrosse players would be present once a decision had been made as to how the prosecution would proceed with the case.
A grand jury indicted the three players on charges of rape, kidnapping and sexual offense last spring after a woman told police she was assaulted at a March 2006 team party where she was hired to perform as a stripper. All three have steadfastly maintained their innocence, with Evans calling the allegations "fantastic lies."
Nifong dropped the rape charges in December after the accuser changed a key detail in her story. He recused himself a few weeks later after the state bar charged him with violating several rules of professional conduct.
Among the ethics charges, Nifong is accused of withholding potentially exculpatory DNA evidence from the defense and lying to both the court and bar investigators. Nifong faces a June trial before the bar and could be disbarred if convicted.
Nifong faces a Friday afternoon hearing in the ethics case, and he spent Wednesday morning with his attorney in Winston-Salem.
Nifong's recusal put the players' fate in the hands of Cooper, who promised "a fresh and thorough review of the facts" when he took over the case in January.
Smith said the players, their families and the defense attorneys were pleased that the special prosecutors took over the case, saying they brought "sanity to this situation."
“The special prosecutors have looked under every rock, and they have searched for evidence in places even the defense did not,” he told WRAL.
While Evans graduated the day before he was indicted in May, Duke temporarily suspended sophomores Finnerty and Seligmann in the wake of their arrest. Finnerty was also convicted in July in an unrelated assault case in Washington, D.C., and sentenced to six months of probation.
Finnerty and Seligmann were both invited to return to campus, but neither has accepted. John Danowski, the former coach at Hofstra who took over the Duke program last summer, has also said that both are welcome to continue their lacrosse careers with the Blue Devils
The only thing that happen is she did too many drugs that night
Barry Saunders on WRAL now with that silly hat. Bah.
Freda Black is on Fox, Thinks Fong will be disbarred! HA!
I’ll second that. Howlin, you’ve done a fantastic job reminding us all that these young men are innocent.
Finally the day is come and with what the AG is saying, they will not have a “dark cloud of doubt” to follow them around.
Go Freda!!!
Maybe Easley will appoint her when Nifong is removed!
So when is Precious going to be put into an institution? Will the grandparents raise her children or will they be put into foster care....for their protection from a crazy mama and unsavory associates?
Where in the world is Jakki? (Sounds like a new game. LOL)
Well, I don’t blame the entire State. But if a D.A. can use little to no evidence, or even fictitious evidence to indict people, forcing them to fight an uneven fight, then I think some improvements can be made.
Perhaps she has John Edwards syndrome and is channeling....
What’s he saying??
I wonder if the role that Sharpton and Jesse played in denigrating these young men will even be mentioned by the DBM?
There is supposed to be a system of “checks and balances”. North Carolina didn’t have any, or didn’t use any of them. So yes, all of NC’s lawmakers, etc., are to blame for this entire fiasco.
Wow. Stuart Taylor couldn’t have asked for a better epilogue to his upcoming book.
Barry sanders is saying how Nifong screwed up. He sayid this is justice.
The D.A.M.N. is damned!
Black is discussing possible criminal charges. Nifong needs to start dealing and cop a plea soon.
It was a collective effort, you know that.
But it stunk from Day One.
(Just remember from now on, I’m always right......LOL)
can’t get much stronger words than that!
Under his desk?
Thanks gals!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.