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http://www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2006/10/24/News/Experts.Say.Venue.Change.Unlikely-2384782.shtml?norewrite200610240809&sourcedomain=www.dukechronicle.com
Experts say venue change unlikely
Josh Chapin
Posted: 10/24/06
Defense attorneys for the three indicted lacrosse players have investigated in recent months whether it will be necessary to change the venue for the players' potential trial.

Although the trial may be moved out of Durham County, law experts say the process is difficult and unlikely in the ongoing case.

Some have expressed concern that Durham jurors will have preconceived notions about the defendants, preventing the players from receiving a fair trial, said Fred Williams, associate professor at North Carolina Central University's School of Law.

"This case has been subject to media scrutiny and it's going to be hard to go anywhere in North Carolina where anybody hasn't heard about the case," he said.

Defense attorney Woody Vann, who has defended the alleged victim in a previous matter, said he believes the likelihood of a venue change is low.

"I'd be surprised if they attempted a change of venue," Vann wrote in an e-mail. "I think there's a large part of the Durham population both black and white that believes no rape took place.... Whether they'd want to stand up and say that, I don't know."

George Fisher, Judge John Crown professor at Stanford Law School, said he thinks the larger issues of race and Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong's campaign agenda should also be considered when discussing a venue change.

"It appears that the local jury will have a lot going on in its mind," Fisher said. "The relations between the University and the community as well as the political prospects of the DA are local issues. Whatever resentment or approval people feel toward the DA, jurors elsewhere won't have on their minds."

The benefits of changing venue for the defendants, however, are not evident even though much of the Durham community is black and three white males are accused of raping a black female, Williams said.

"I would want to stay in Durham," he said. "While there are a greater number of blacks in Durham, the dynamics of this case are very different-there are all those associated with the Duke community that could be potential jurors."

The North Carolina Courts website states that in order to qualify for jury duty, a person must be registered to vote in Durham and have a driver's license with a Durham address, making a large number of Duke students ineligible.

Changing the venue of a trial is a difficult process, said Sara Beale, Charles L.B. Lowndes professor of law at Duke.

"The process of selecting a jury is the process of weeding those people out with a biased opinion," she said. "There are always people that can't be fair because they know someone involved with the case."

The positive aspects of moving the trial for the defense highly outweigh those for the prosecution, Williams said, although there may be detriments for both sides.

"A significant part of this community is made up of minorities-this is a chance to get back at the white folks,"

Williams said. "However, there is a potential for a community or group of people who don't like Nifong and who think that no rape occurred."

Whether or not a venue change does occur, the trial is still months away, said Neil Vidmar, Russell M. Robinson II Professor of law and professor of psychology.

"The data might surprise you-the community might not be as polarized as you think," he said. "However, it is premature to talk about a change in venue."

The indicted players' attorneys could not be reached for comment. © Copyright 2006 The Chronicle

http://www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2006/10/24/News/Voting.Activist.Urges.Student.Participation-2384787.shtml?norewrite200610240810&sourcedomain=www.dukechronicle.com
Voting activist urges student participation
Catherine Butsch
Posted: 10/24/06
When Jehmu Greene looks in the mirror, she sees a young college student who was once denied the right to vote.

Greene, former president of Rock the Vote and current national director of Project Vote, spoke Monday in the Gross Chemistry Building as part of Community Service Week and Campus Life's Election Affection.

During the talk, Greene urged students not only to register to vote but also to encourage their peers to register and to work against efforts to curtail the political voice of young people.

The American-born daughter of Liberian exiles, Greene said she attempted to exercise her right to vote as soon as she came of age.

"My family, as political exiles, made sure that politics was always part of the discussion in my household, so registering to vote was something I was absolutely going to do," Greene said.

While studying at the University of Texas at Austin, Greene was registered to vote by a fraternity. When she arrived at the polling place, however, a woman said Greene's name was not on the list.

"In that moment that woman took away a lot of my dreams," Greene said. "So it's really an honor to get to do the work that I do because it's all about making sure that other young people, other college students, don't have to go through the same experience that I did."

Greene served as president of Rock the Vote from 2003 to 2005. Rock the Vote is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that "engages youth in the political process by incorporating the entertainment community and youth culture into its activities," according to its website.

In the months before the 2004 presidential election, Rock the Vote registered 1.4 million new voters.

College-aged students' recent activism on issues such as Social Security and Darfur has attracted candidates' attention-something students should try to retain, Greene said.

"If we don't carry that through on Nov. 7 of this year, we will lose all of that momentum," she said. "We will lose all of that attention and respect."

After leaving Rock the Vote, Greene took over at Project Vote, an organization dedicated to facilitating voter engagement and participation in low-income and minority communities.

Greene said the government has discreetly worked to disenfranchise students, minorities and the poor.

"There are very specific efforts happening right now in this country to stop the votes of students from being cast and from being counted," she said.

At the University of Michigan, Greene once overheard the Michigan Secretary of State warn students against registering to vote, saying they would lose their car insurance and their scholarships, Greene said.

She has also fought recent legislation in some states that attempted to forbid non-profits to register voters.

"[Greene's speech] made me realize that we take a lot of rights for granted," freshman Elizabeth Malcolm said. "It really makes you want to spread that message to your peers."

Organizers of the event agreed.

"Civic engagement is so important and necessary," said senior Kyle White, one of the Community Service Center's student directors. "It's a responsibility you can't take lightly. [With Community Service Week this year] we're really trying to focus on community. Durham isn't just someplace outside the walls of Duke."

Greene said the speech's meager attendance-about 40 people-did not discourage her.

"I know you can look around this room and say 'Wow, there are so many empty seats,' but I don't see empty seats," Greene said. "I see every individual in this room who can turn 20 people into voters.... I see activists that have the ability to change the world at the push of a button."