It's Time for Justice: Drop the charges vs. Duke lacrosse players

The Mercury News ^ | October 16, 2006 | Jason Whitlock

[Constitutions Grandchild]

Heck no, she's moved on with her life. Letting the chips fall where they may.

[I want to know]

Sleuth this- why did Leary and Cheek meet with the DA early in March BEFORE the party occurred?

This is the DA's account of the meeting (doesn't say when they met).

http://mikenifong.com/statement.php

During the campaign, I received a visit from Mr. Cheek, Mr. Leary, and Mr. Pope, all of whom had previously told me that they supported my candidacy, and one of whom had appeared in a campaign ad endorsing me. They came, unsolicited, to offer me advice on a matter that had arisen during the campaign on which they had an opinion with respect to how it should be handled. After listening to their input, I thanked them, but I then told them that I would be guided in all my decisions by what I believed to be right, without regard to possible political consequences. I went on to win the nomination of the Democratic Party and become the only qualified candidate for District Attorney on the November ballot. When Mr. Leary and Mr. Pope later helped spearhead the petition campaign to help Mr. Cheek qualify as an unaffiliated candidate to run against me, I realized that their concern had not been with the concept of a small group of people owning the District Attorney's Office, but with the concept of it being owned by someone other than them.

[Locomotive Breath]

I remember that. So what he's saying is that it's OK for the DA's office to be owned by a small group of people as long as it's the right small group of people.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Thank you, that is what I am thinking of.

In one news account, I read this was before the party.

[ltc8k6]

I think Crystal is a very strange and mixed up individual and there is no telling what she's about or what she'll do.

The very fact that she went back to the pole right away seems very weird to me whether she was raped or is faking.

[Locomotive Breath]

Well if she wasn't raped then there was no trauma associated with it. For her it's probably just another "lost weekend" - one of many. She met her goal - she didn't get put in Durham Access and was released - so other consequences are peripheral.

[Ken H]

Good read and lots of good replies:

http://liestoppers.blogspot.com/2006/10/highly-unacceptable-behavior.html

(Take your nausea pills before clicking on link and viewing photo)

[ltc8k6]

Cash has chimed in at TL, if you have any questions for him.

http://forums.talkleft.com/index.php/topic,415.0.html

[Ken H]

http://johnsville.blogspot.com/2006/10/duke-case-please-help.html

[darbymcgill]

She tried to get me out of the car before the police arrived, but I was afraid to get out. When the police came, she pulled me back into the car, and the police took me to the hospital from Kroger parking lot.

I know this is not supposed to be funny.... but come on...

[Neverforget01]

Cash pulled a similar stunt on the abc11 boards. He'd come on, never giving an opinion on whether or not a rape took place, but claiming to just want to protect the accuser. Then when the whole case blows up he can say he "never said they were guilty." I think he's just trying to make himself relevant somehow.

I'm not quite sure what balance means to Mr. Michaels. I'm all for balanced reports but when the only balance is: the boys were underage drinkers and the DA must have something, I'm not quite sure Mr. Bradley would have wanted to look so foolish. I do find it humorous to watch Mr. Michaels turn on Ms. Roberts. I guess that "sister" isn't worthy of defending.

[Locomotive Breath]

Well, as others have said, I think 60 Minutes did the right thing by keep the focus on whether a crime was committed.

Mangum's prior behavior, Kim's prior behavior, and the lax team's prior behavior is completely irrelevant. All that matters is what those people did on that night (and in Mangum's case, in the time since). Anyone who wants to make it more than that is promoting using this to promote their own agenda.

[Locomotive Breath]

"is promoting using this to promote their own agenda"

should be

"is using this to promote their own agenda"

[Neverforget01]

I agree with you 100%. For an oral, viginal and anal rape to have been committed there must be some physical evidence and the accuser's story should be consistent and her identifications irrefutable. Anything else leads to reasonable doubts and acquittals. The fact that Nifong brought this case without evidence of rape is beyond my comprehension.

I honestly believe he mislead the Grand Jury with a hyped up medical report knowing how sexually active CGM was. If he didn't know, he should have investigated before going to the Grand Jury...What DA presents a rape case without knowing where else and with whom else the accuser was on the night in question?

/rant

[ltc8k6]

Well, no CBS follow up for the 22nd.

[JLS]

Exactly! CBS focused on THE isssue. Whether or not a crime was committed. Really whether or not there was any evidence that a crime was committed and if so did these defendants commit said crime.

It seems they concluded the answer was there is not enough evidence to even conclude a crime was committed, so they focused more on that but the player interviews did focus on the fact that had a crime been commited Finnerty and Seligmann could not have committed it.

Cash Michaels on the other hand is like the N&O and the Herald to afraid of local opinion to follow the evidence. Too bad Michaels does not have the stones of Ed Bradley or Jason Whitlock, but then that is probably why he is a local columnist in a racial oriented publication and Bradley and Whitlock are in broader markets. Often times not having the stones to face reality keep one from the big time.

[CondorFlight]

"Well, no CBS follow up for the 22nd."

Maybe they'll wait to see what the hearing brings on the 27th.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

It's a MIRACLE!!!!

Captain Kangaroo is alive!!!!!

[Locomotive Breath]

That man should be kept away from small children. Young adults too.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

I should be ashamed of myself really.

I loved the Captain many moons ago. Of course that was in the day of Mighty Mouse and Heckle and Jekyll, LOL!

(Looking to heaven:
Sorry Captain, but consider it taking one for the good guys)