Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Grand jury may consider new charges in Duke case
Raliegh Observer ^ | 5/15/06 | Ben Niolet

Posted on 05/15/2006 7:14:12 AM PDT by pissant

DURHAM - A Durham grand jury is scheduled to meet today, and the session could mean new charges in the investigation of a reported rape at a Duke lacrosse team party.

Two of the team's players were indicted in April on charges of first degree rape, first degree sex offense and first degree kidnapping. They are accused of assaulting an escort service dancer in a bathroom of a house at 610 N. Buchanan Blvd. Their lawyers say the men are innocent, and lawyers representing dozens of team members say that no sex or assault occurred at the March 13 party.

But the woman says she was attacked by three men, and Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong said he has been working on bringing charges against a third person.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TODAY? If Nifong decides to submit the case, police investigators and possibly other witnesses will try to convince grand jurors in a secret session that the state has probable cause to bring a case forward. Grand jurors will hear only the prosecution's side of the case. The standard required for a true bill of indictment is far lower than the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard required for a conviction.

IF INDICTMENTS ARE ISSUED, WHEN WILL THEY BECOME PUBLIC? On April 17, a judge ordered the indictments in the lacrosse case sealed. The names of the players who were indicted were not released until 5 a.m. the next day when the players surrendered at the Durham County jail. If Nifong again requests that the indictments be sealed, the law allows a judge to keep them secret until the person is arrested or appears in court.

WHEN WILL ALL THE EVIDENCE BE REVEALED? State law requires prosecutors to turn over all of their case files to defense lawyers, but nothing requires the evidence to be turned over to the public. In open court hearings, lawyers often discuss some of the evidence, but the state's case may not be revealed until trial. No trial dates have been set. When a report on the DNA testing is complete, Nifong is required by law to turn it over to all 46 members of the lacrosse team who submitted DNA samples.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The cases against Reade William Seligmann, 20, of Essex Fells, N.J., and Collin Finnerty, 19, of Garden City, N.Y., are moving forward. Finnerty has a court date in June. Seligmann is scheduled to appear in court Thursday. His attorney, Kirk Osborn, has filed a series of motions challenging Nifong's handling of the case and asking a judge to bar the prosecutor from further involvement.


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: duke; dukelax; wtf
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 501-520521-540541-560 ... 2,161 next last
To: Howlin
Jeffrey Toobin on CNN doesn't believe that Nifong has refused to meet with the defense and/or the players.

Right, Cheshire's lying. And if so, why we he lie and anger the DA? Toobin's stupid if he believes that.

521 posted on 05/15/2006 12:11:36 PM PDT by CedarDave (Sleeper trolls are like cicadas - emerge in the heat and contribute nothing but loud annoying noise)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 514 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

Oh, he points to the woman and says "People like this woman right here are trying to make it about race."

____

I cannot see what is happening, but I am getting angry just hearing it described.


522 posted on 05/15/2006 12:11:44 PM PDT by snarkytart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 464 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
Jeffrey Toobin on CNN doesn't believe that Nifong has refused to meet with the defense and/or the players.

He is so gullible.

Toobin said that we're only hearing from the defense, that Nifong isn't saying anything.

So the defense is making up stuff about the line up? We are only hearing from the defense because Nifong is coward. Toobin needs to get off the crack.

523 posted on 05/15/2006 12:12:34 PM PDT by pepperhead (Kennedy's float, Mary Jo's don't!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 514 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

He certainly took the press to the woodshed over their shoddy reporting, didn't he??

WOWZA!!


524 posted on 05/15/2006 12:12:42 PM PDT by Shelayne (Antique Media--losing value everyday...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 401 | View Replies]

To: PghBaldy

Good ol' Shep, mugging for the cameras. ;-)

525 posted on 05/15/2006 12:14:06 PM PDT by Quilla
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 513 | View Replies]

To: Peach

If memory serves, it took us two and a half months just to get the police report to look over. We didn't get to depose the AV until 12-13 months after that. It's a long wait. That's why I say pray for the parents and boys. It's hard to live under the stress of this for that long.


526 posted on 05/15/2006 12:14:08 PM PDT by Constitutions Grandchild
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 481 | View Replies]

To: CedarDave

I referred in this thread to the story of the Scottsboro Boys. 9 Black Teens charged with gang-raping two white girls in the 1930s. They were all free-riding on a train.


527 posted on 05/15/2006 12:14:25 PM PDT by Alia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 512 | View Replies]

To: Shelayne

Yes, he did!

And he was dead on.

That was so good, I may need a cigarette. :-)


528 posted on 05/15/2006 12:14:34 PM PDT by Howlin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 524 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

Toobin mever has a clue. Why does he think a defense attorney would make a statement like that to THE PTESS, FGS, if it were not true ? That would make Chessire as dumb as Nifong.


529 posted on 05/15/2006 12:14:43 PM PDT by Darlin' ("You said would I apologize for that?" Bush told him. "The answer is absolutely not.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 514 | View Replies]

To: Quilla

You're welcome.

I can't get over Nifong refusing to accept exculpatory evidence. Just had a phone call about the same thing from a friend following this.


530 posted on 05/15/2006 12:14:51 PM PDT by Peach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 511 | View Replies]

To: Shelayne
He certainly took the press to the woodshed over their shoddy reporting, didn't he??

Too bad they will be stuck on stupid again in no time.

531 posted on 05/15/2006 12:16:15 PM PDT by pepperhead (Kennedy's float, Mary Jo's don't!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 524 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

I wonder how old Crystal and Kim would do on polygraph tests regarding their ever-changing stories and charges?


532 posted on 05/15/2006 12:17:18 PM PDT by Cecily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 366 | View Replies]

To: Alia

There is so much corruption in that city I don't think it could ever be cleaned up.

My favorite character is the Durham Police criminal investigation detective. He and his partner were accused of 'losing' up to $100,000 in rent money and security deposits. They both had their their real estate licenses revoked yet one of them still works for the police department.

I'm beginning to wonder if the source of the DNA wasn't from someone in the police department.


533 posted on 05/15/2006 12:17:40 PM PDT by ladyjane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 410 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

Evans already took and passed a POLYGRAPH !! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Nifong has egg and manure all over his face...


534 posted on 05/15/2006 12:17:41 PM PDT by TommyDale (North Carolina looks forward to the disbarring of Mike Nifong.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 349 | View Replies]

To: Peach
If I could go back 2 months when police came to my home - I cooperated fully wiht them. My roommate and I helped police for over n hour. After that I gave an uncounseled statement because I knew I'd done nothing wrong and didn't need an attorney.

Where are all the idiots who criticized me for saying they should not 'cooperate' with the cops, even if they are innocent. This is exactly what can happen when you do.

When the cops showed up, he should have said he had no information about any crime. If the cops persisted he should have asked, "Do you have a search arrest warrant?" If the answer was "No", the appropriate response would have been to reply, "Then get off of my property or I will file a criminal complaint for trespassing."

535 posted on 05/15/2006 12:17:45 PM PDT by connectthedots
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 371 | View Replies]

To: Locomotive Breath
I realize the situation is not a very humorous one, but I couldn't repress a chuckle when Cheshire was lauding his client's character and said, "David graduated with a very good quality point average even though he might not have the mind of some other students..."

Ouch!

536 posted on 05/15/2006 12:17:52 PM PDT by SirJohnBarleycorn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 206 | View Replies]

To: CedarDave

Listening to Brit now on FNC; I don't think I can handle being on a live thread tonight for the speech.


537 posted on 05/15/2006 12:18:20 PM PDT by Peach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 494 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

It is time we all group-ask Cheshire " Was it as good for you as it was for us?"


538 posted on 05/15/2006 12:18:25 PM PDT by Protect the Bill of Rights
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 528 | View Replies]

To: Peach
Nifong just had his head handed to him at that press conference! I am so impressed Dave's forceful presentation.

Did you notice that NOT ONE mention of Duke was ever made by either of them?

539 posted on 05/15/2006 12:18:29 PM PDT by Carolinamom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 530 | View Replies]

To: Carolinamom

bttt


540 posted on 05/15/2006 12:19:13 PM PDT by Txsleuth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 539 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 501-520521-540541-560 ... 2,161 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson