Date-rape drug allegation in Duke case

Newsday (NY) ^ | April 24, 2006 | BY JENNIFER SMITH

[Perdogg]

The exotic dancer who accused members of the Duke University lacrosse team of raping her at a party may have been slipped a date-rape drug, according to an interview with the second dancer in the May 1 issue of Newsweek that appeared on stands today.

Newsweek also reported that a defense attorney said some DNA evidence had been found under the accuser's fingernails, but that the first round of DNA testing - which did not incriminate any of the 46 players swabbed - was inconclusive about identity. Results from a second round of tests are expected this week.

The accuser, a 27-year-old black college student and mother, said she was raped and beaten by white students on March 13 after performing for them at a house party. Two lacrosse team members, Collin Finnerty, 19, of Garden City, and Reade Seligmann, 20, of Essex Fells, N.J., were charged Tuesday. Defense lawyers have maintained their clients' innocence, offering a detailed timeline and time-stamped photos from the party that they say throw the woman's story into doubt.

[muawiyah]

One of the locals posting here said it is not a main street, but the main is only a block or so away. The usual practice late at night is to just go up the street and catch a passing cab.

[bwteim]

Yes, exactly.

[snarkytart]

He just has to hold it together until a week from tomorrow.

____

Then what? If he loses he still gets to keep his job until after the general election correct?

[AmishDude]

Oh, is this "Kim" who now says she witnessed nothing but is sure the guys are guilty?

Funny there's nothing from the doctors.

[Neverforget01]

Thank you. That explains that!

[maggief]

$imeon says in Newsweek that he's trying to put a team together to also represent Crystal in a civil suit. He's contacting this guy:

http://www.williegary.com/

[snarkytart]

Now you know that that means they didn't make ANY of the lacrosse players.

In this case, "inconclusive" means "we can't get it to come out like we want it to."
______________

Exactly. Notice how that word 'inconclusive' started being used in the media a few days after the first round of DNA results came back bad for the DA.

Now all of a sudden DNA doesn't matter in rape cases, and no match means it is inconclusive.

yeppers

[ladyjane]

I suggested that on another thread and was told that Durham isn't like Manhattan, cabs don't just cruise around looking for fares. I took the comment with a grain of salt.

I know young guys - they do not stand around outside a house waiting for a cab. They start walking toward a main road.

[maggief]

Hate crime???

[Jrabbit]

And wet paper towels in a plastic bag....

I think someone figured something out for stupid Kim. If the boys were going to drug the strippers, why only drug one? Sooooooo, we get the convienient story about Crystal spilling her drink, grabbing Kims and guzzling it down. Now, let's see if any alcohol was in the search warrants...I was under the impression this was a kegger.

[Neverforget01]

"These poor men are being tried in the media."

Oh, please. This would be a valid criticism had not defense lawyers spent the last week throwing everything but the kitchen sink out there to cast doubt on the accuser.

Some of that may come back to haunt them, such as the release of cell phone photos they believe will help their case. A crucial half-hour is missing, during which they speculate the woman was alone in the bathroom giving herself a manicure. We doubt this Midnight Manicure Defense will stick around long.

Some NJ unbiased reading :(

http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/columns-0/1145508717120320.xml?starledger?coltdo&coll=1

[Neverforget01]

we get the convienient story about Crystal spilling her drink

I'm sure Kim knows where in this vast home the drink was spilled. Why aren't investigators taking carpet samples?

[abb]

$imeon says in Newsweek that he's trying to put a team together to also represent Crystal in a civil suit. He's contacting this guy: http://www.williegary.com/

Interesting. I suspect the team has been put together for a while. All these pro-prosecution news stories and columns don't just appear magically in a vacuum. I think they have a pr team that's been fluffing the story all along to give Nifong political cover...

[muawiyah]

Durham is probably not like Manhattan, but late Friday or Saturday evenings (Midnightish) in a college town, you will find cabs dropping off fares and picking up fares before calls come in. And main roads are main roads everywhere.

And cabbies are also cabbies everywhere ~ if they can pick up an intervening fare (and not pay the owner, dispatcher, or company a part of it) while waiting for a call, they'll do it.

[Carolinamom]

I must be going nuts....last night I dreamed that they had found a black hair under one of Crystal's fingernails and further DNA tests revealed that it was Kim's!!! (probably gotten there either when they were fighting over money or when she had a death grip on Kim's brake handle)

[muawiyah]

If these gals were into some pretty aggressive hip-hop style dancing, they might well have been drinking water. The one dancer, though, was smarter, and did not accept a drink from the hosts.

I think I'll check out PCP-like drugs that induce immediate thirst. Back at ya' if I find one.

[Jrabbit]

Oh, I have a feeling that the defense have photos of that crucial half hour.

[Jrabbit]

If these are the same "investigators" that missed the unpainted nails in the bathroom...well....need I say more?

[Neverforget01]

Oh, I have a feeling that the defense have photos of that crucial half hour.

I bet you're right.

[sissyjane]

I just asked my husband (retired LE) if Crystal would have a memory of a rape if she had been given a date rape drug.

He said it would depend on the dose given, but nine times out of ten, she would have no memory...for what it's worth.