Is The Duke Rape Story Unraveling?

Yahoo ^ | 04/12/06 | Tom Bevan

[Perdogg]

There's probably no better way to get a feel for what's been happening in the Duke University lacrosse team rape story than to read a series of revised news alerts on the case issued by the Durham Police's Crimestoppers unit. An initial release sent out April 3 which offered cash rewards for tips about the case read: "The victim was sodomized, raped, assaulted and robbed. This horrific crime sent shock waves throughout our community."

Yesterday at 11:16am, according to the Raleigh News & Observer, Crimestoppers issued a revised version of the same news release which dropped the entire second sentence about a "horrific crime" and also added a qualifier to the first: "The victim alleges that she was sodomized, raped, assaulted and robbed." [emphasis added]

A mere eighteen minutes later a third revision was issued, changing the word "victim" to "complainant."

The evolving facts in the case seem to not only warrant those revisions but also to suggest that the case may be in the process of unraveling.

[Neverforget01]

ping!

Can you help with who this Freda is? I know she is running against Nifong and that she used to work in the DA's office..

[GAgal]

Freda Black was an Assistant DA who gained national attention several years ago as second chair in the Michael Peterson trial, televised on CourtTV. Peterson was convicted, and the DA Jim Hardin was appointed judge by Gov. Easley to fill an empty spot. Easley then brought Nifong in from Traffic Court to replace Hardin. Soon after, Nifong called Black in and handed her a letter of dismissal, and refused to comment of why. It must not have been anything serious, as she is now running against him.

[Howlin]

See GAgal's explanation; it's dead on.

[Howlin]

And he keeps saying "I've tried 300 felony cases in this office."

Traffic court....heheheh.

And don't forget the MOST vindictive thing he did; as soon as he took office, he took Freda's parking space away from her -- the one she had been given specifically because she was in charge of trying rapes and murders. It was for her safety..........and he took it.

He's a mean SOB.

[Neverforget01]

What a creep. I hope folks from Durham get a clue and sentd this guy packing...

If he is voted out in May, what happens to the case?

[Barney Gumble]

That is complete and utter B.S. If the roles were reversed, the authorities would be so afraid of calling down the wrath of the race baiters they would be limiting the amout of information that was being released to the media. Not to mention the races of the principles involved would be omitted from reports.

Especially when the DNA evidence came back clean, people would have been falling all over themselves to apologize. The case would have been then dropped immediately.

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

"epitaphs were used"

That was good for a chuckle. Nancy's segments on this case are so over the top one can only shake one's head and laugh. Hope all of her studio guests have had their rabies shots!

[Locomotive Breath]

Of course the student body would still hate them

I'm not sure. All we see on TV are the loudmouth publicity-whore activists.

Amongst the normal student body, I'll bet more than a few minds changed when those DNA tests came back negative. And no undergraduate is going to think twice about the underage drinking. Many will think the stripper was a really bad idea, and I'd agree in a big way, but their own youthful indiscretions are a little too close at hand to pass judgment on others.

Fortunately, most of these guys will not be trying to make a career in lacrosse. Those that do may be viewed as brothers martyred for the sport.

[Locomotive Breath]

For example, see this:

By GREGORY PHILLIPS : The Herald-Sun
gphillips@heraldsun.com
Apr 12, 2006 : 8:19 pm ET

DURHAM -- Lacrosse T-shirts are a hot commodity at Duke University's student store in an apparent show of support for the embattled team.

"They've been selling at three or four times the normal rate over the last few weeks," said Bill Wilkerson, director of Duke University Stores.

http://www.herald-sun.com/durham/4-723781.html

[JeffAtlanta]

That was good for a chuckle. Nancy's segments on this case are so over the top one can only shake one's head and laugh.

Yeah, on Nancy Grace's show apparently anyone who uses a epitaph is obviously guilty of rape even if they didn't do it.

Of course a stripper that makes house calls without a bouncer is automatically the epitome of virtue.

I still wonder who Nancy Grace's fan base is - I don't see how it could large enough to keep her on the air.

[JeffAtlanta]

DURHAM -- Lacrosse T-shirts are a hot commodity at Duke University's student store in an apparent show of support for the embattled team.

Thanks, that is certainly good to hear. I'm still disappointed that Duke allowed the wanted posters featuring the team photos of the lax team to be displayed on campus.

I'm also a little disappointed that the Duke administration took such reactionary steps toward the team. Suspending the season until the investigation was complete would have been fine.

I read in one of the threads that the email guy was suspended or expelled - is that accurate?

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

I was curious as to what her ratings have been and found this for April 11:

Total viewers 8 pm:
O'Reilly 2,203
Zahn 392
Countdown 489
Grace 421

Total viewers 10 pm:
Greta 1,468
Cooper 715
Scarborough 246
Grace 381

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/default.asp

Probably quite a few are watching for the same reason people slow down to look at a car wreck by the side of the road

[Darlin']

"I just don't see it, John; he's pushed so far, I think these guys are going to realize that the only way they can really clear their name is a trial."

I think you are right and that is the only way they will ever be free of the taint of the accusations.

I have questions about her "boyfriend" where was he that night, how did he react to her tale and what does his DNA look like ?

[JeffAtlanta]

think you are right and that is the only way they will ever be free of the taint of the accusations.

The problem is that even an acquittal will not ensure that they aren't still tainted.

I saw a story on Fox a few weeks ago where a girl at a party claimed that she was drugged and gang raped. The boys at the party said it was consensual and that she was only charging rape because something made her mad. The was video of the incident and the party.

I believe that something like 8 guys had separate trials and every one of them were found innocent. The woman on Fox and her "experts" were livid how these juries (8 or so different ones) could keep finding each of these boys innocent. Of course the video wasn't made public and the Fox woman had never seen it.

The point is that some will never be satisfied - to them consensual sex is just an unreported rape.

[Locomotive Breath]

I'm also a little disappointed that the Duke administration took such reactionary steps toward the team. Suspending the season until the investigation was complete would have been fine.

I read in one of the threads that the email guy was suspended or expelled - is that accurate?

IIRC suspended. Somebody else here commented "you should see the media trucks outside his house." Don't know their source for that.

Concur your remarks Duke Administration. I'm actually surprised they have been as restrained as they have been. Since they own the house, the concept of joint and several liability will do that to you.

[JeffAtlanta]

Since they own the house, the concept of joint and several liability will do that to you.

You're right of course, but isn't it silly that Duke could be held liable at all? From what I understand, Duke has been trying to settle down the off campus partying so they the school has been buying up homes just off campus that are leased to students.

Even though Duke now owns the house, they still have honor the existing lease until it runs out. Of course this means nothing because Duke has even deeper pockets than the lax team.

[Darlin']

True that. I've already seen a dozen or more women on every news programs, manically proclaiming thhe players guilt, saying the absence of DNA does not mean absence of guilt... blab, blab, blab... I hope the families file a whopping suit against that DA, the city and the pole dancer.

[Howlin]

The point is that some will never be satisfied - to them consensual sex is just an unreported rape.

Exactly.

Now, I came to this conclusion back during the Kobe case; these boys better be glad they didn't choose to go to U of Colorado. Colorado has the MOST draconian rape laws I have ever seen.

During his trial, there was a program on either the Discovery Channel or Court TV; in that state, when you are charged with rape, if you go to trial and even if you cop a plea, the terms of your probation are that you are subjected to what can only be described as a penile lie detector test; the boy/man is taken into a sensory room and electrodes or sensors are attached to his...well, you know.

Then they slap earphones on him and he is forced to watch video of women making love to each other WITH SOUND..........and if his penis so much as moves an inch, the probation is over and he's off to prison.

I kid you not; I am pinging sinkspur because he and I discussed this in great detail during Kobe's trial and I had the links back then, but he can vouch for the verasity of my story.

[Howlin]

Well, somebody had to drop her off, maybe it was him?

[MortMan]

It wouldn't be the first time a defense team set out to destroy an accuser.

I don't recall seeing much negative info about the accuser attributed to the defendants' attorneys. Do you have any references?

BTW - I'm not saying they wouldn't, but that they haven't yet, to my knowledge.