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.

[beyond the sea]

Durham County District Attorney candidate Keith Bishop, right, criticizes District Attorney Mike Nifong, left, for his handling of the case involving members of the Duke lacrosse team

Black Bishop going after the grandstanding king (Nifong). Time to castle the king. The move was invented to help speed up the game ....... this "game" should end.

[beyond the sea]

I mean he presented his reasoning for this case continuing to go forward in spite of no DNA being found, the "victim" was able to identify the Duke boys in a lineup. Well duh! Mr Prosecutor, nobody denies they were all at the same party together! It's not like they boys would be HARD TO IDENTIFY!!! It wouldn't take much of a memory for this stripper to recall them out of a police lineup. It proves NOTHING!!!

Right. It would be odd if she couldn't identify a few of the guys. But she was wasted at the soiree, wasn't she? That could have effected her sight and memory.

[Locomotive Breath]

A feeling of safety is gone from their lives. Trusting people, especially men is very difficult. Many women experience horrible nightmares for months and years after wards. A good portion of women after being raped lose the ability to receive pleasure from sex, even in loving/safe/committed relationships.

I hear what you're saying but if indeed a rape took place, I'm sorry, but I have a hard time working up any sympathy for the future mental state of a 27-year-old voluntary worker in the sex industry.

[Brytani]

No reason to feel sorry for her, she wasn't raped.

[beyond the sea]

I think that by "not being cooperative" they meant the players refused to confess.

LOL .......... very true.

[Alia]

What Nifong has just said is so low-brow. So what's Nifong gotta say about the crime rate in Durham among its own residents? Nothing.

[Alia]

Of false "rape". "Rape" as a revenge or malicious harassment vehicle. Or it was consensual sex, but the female changed her mind.

In this day and age there really aren't too many women on Planet USA who DON'T know how powerful a tool the "rape" charge is. I despise women who falsely use the "rape" charge.

They end up burying the REAL victims of rape who are then ridiculed.

[AlexW]

I have a cousin that is a Duke grad, but that was 40 years ago.
I know times have changed, but I still can not imagine
a group of Duke guys wanting to even touch a chocolate
hooker, much less sodomize her.
This whole story really stinks.

[Alia]

Your post was bang-on true.

In the 80s in the SF Bay Area, it was really hard to be around other women -- so many who were jumping in on the Burning Bed and claiming to have been raped, molested, incested, etc. It was a way to be a cause celebre amid a clack of females. It was disgusting.

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

"We have information that she has been contacting lawyers and trying to find civil lawyers to possibly discuss suits in this case, or financial compensation for her," he said. "That is an indication to us that the chances of her coming forward and telling what really happened here are pretty slim."

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=triangle&id=4074964

Perhaps she has in mind the Kobe package - no criminal proceeding, no civil suit, in exchange for $$$$ and a sealed settlement

[Alia]

The story has stunk from the get-go, Alex.

If the group of males was that gung-ho on doing a sex scene, they wouldn't have to "rape". There are plenty of females who'd provide that role in this day and age, and do so willingly, and therefore it wouldn't be rape. Unless she changed her mind afterwards.

Not long ago in this small state of NC, a group of "castrating" sexo-philes was caught. Like this little ole' state wouldn't have its share of females happy to do a group thing for a fee?

The press was attempting to play up this story in order to PILE ON to their increasing "redneck" stories about the South, ignorance, hayseeds, ignorance, and arrogance. The MSM has been slowly but surely, building a case against the South, and "whiteness" and "white privilege".

Follow the money and the carpetbagging politics that accompany that grab. Democrats want the South. And they'll do BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY to reach their goal.

[Alia]

Ya didn't laugh.

Don't you think its just so disgusting that Al Sharpton is showing up EASTER SUNDAY? To cap on this event?

[Peach]

I didn't know you were keeping a ping list on this matter; please add my name. Thanks.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Semi-related (okay,maybe not even semi), but worth mentioning:
(I am not familiar with  the website, but this is a good article  Bold-mine for emphasis)

Renew  America

Open Letter to Duke Law: respect Richard Nixon and restore his portrait
John Plecnik
April 20, 2005
Much to the chagrin of my elite and oh, so liberal law school, the most famous alum to take a degree from the Duke University School of Law is none other than President Richard M. Nixon (Class of 1937). On a side note, some would say that Kenneth Starr (Class of 1973) is the runner-up. Regardless, our legendary alum served as a two-term congressman, senator, two-term Vice-President and two-term President. Oh, and he lost a gubernatorial and presidential race...and had to resign from the presidency. But, that's American history.

Simply put, Nixon loved Duke, but Duke never loved Nixon. As President, the man helped to connect the United States and Duke University with China. He established a scholarship at the law school and hosted a class reunion in the White House. But, there was to be no honorary doctorate for the Republican politician. There was no respect for the enormous influence of an undeniably historic, but conservative figure. Despite Nixon's wishes to place his presidential library at Duke University, the school denied him a final opportunity to give back to the institution he loved. To their credit, the law faculty did support this initiative, but others overruled them.

Only one relic remained to remind us of the sole Dukie to take the White House. A single portrait, one of two made during Nixon's presidency, was given to the law school in 1969. It hung in Duke Law's courtroom, but disappeared during Watergate. Long afterward, it was found above the ceiling tiles of the same room. Countless rumors circulate as to who hid the picture. Some say that famed constitutional law scholar William W. Van Alstyne, then a professor at Duke Law, was responsible. But, such silly speculation is probably just a testament to both men's legends.

After rediscovering the portrait, Duke Law hid Nixon's image in the registrar's office, citing a fear of vandalism. And, after a brief debut in the law library, the portrait was moved to congress, where it supposedly hangs in some office to this very day. Frankly, Dukies, Republicans and yes, Americans should be outraged by the law school's treatment of our nation's 37th president. Where is his memorial? Where is our acknowledgement of the fact that a Blue Devil led the free world? Certainly, Nixon was far from perfect, but the man improved our relations with the Soviet Union, opened relations with China and ended the military draft. He made history. If anything, Watergate and the landmark case of United States v. Nixon only made his terms in the White House more relevant to the study of law.

Perhaps I'm being naïve, but I refuse to believe that my liberal classmates and professors have so little restraint that the mere sight of a Republican President's portrait would drive them to bouts of temporary insanity. I refuse to believe that a class of Valedictorians, Fulbright Scholars and LSAT instructors would instinctively steal or destroy a piece of history. Even so, the portrait has yet to be returned. It would be unreasonable to suggest that the law school is still concerned with the potential for vandalism. Rather, the likely answer is far simpler and all-to-common. Surprise, surprise, liberal bias on campus doesn't end with undergrad.

Ranked with Harvard and Yale as one of America's most liberal law schools, Duke is embarrassed of producing a Republican President. Oh, how they wish they could trade for Yale Law's Bill and Hillary Clinton, Columbia's activist, rock star judge, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or even Northwestern's Jerry Springer. Intentionally or otherwise, the absence of a tribute to Nixon — the absence of his portrait — has sent a message: If I or another conservative classmate go on to be President of the United States, Duke Law will be ashamed of us, too.

When I first came to the South's most elite university, I searched in vain for the Duke Law Republicans. The group's membership had long since graduated with no underclassmen to take their place. I can still remember how one, fairly moderate professor mused that he would miss the Republicans' oft-remarkable struggle to restore Nixon's portrait to the law school. I say, with the recent rebirth of the group, the time has come to demand that his portrait be returned. 1L Ryan Higgins, Co-Chair of the Duke Law Republicans, concurs. "I am astonished by the absence of his portrait as well as the general absence of any reference to our 37th president in law school literature. Richard Nixon is without a doubt the most accomplished and influential of our alumni," said Higgins. "This man was a giant! One can only conclude that the continued absence of the portrait is fueled largely by personal ideology. Nixon's image must be restored."

Though liberal bias may prevent Duke from fully acknowledging its greatest alum, the president never held a grudge against his alma mater. Through this undying loyalty, Nixon demonstrated that he possessed a greater moral character — a greater honesty — than his professors and their successors, who continually cite Nixon's "severe misdeeds" as an excuse to ignore his school pride and patriotism. To close, I'll join Nixon by saying, "And I always remember, that whatever I have done in the past, or may do in the future, Duke University is responsible in one way or another."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John T. Plecnik is a 21-year-old law student at Duke University and Executive Editor of The Devil's Advocate. As Policy Advisor for the Duke Chapter, John authored the first-ever statewide platform for the North Carolina Federation of College Republicans. His website is www.johnplecnik.com

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I just thought I would throw this out in case there are a lot of young whippersnappers out there who have no idea Nixon was a Duke alum.

 

[GAgal]

I'm beginning to think Nifong is more than simply opportunistic or incompetent. I think he is pathologically vindictive. His summary firing of Freda Black is one example. Now he seems to be purposely acting in ways that will punish the players who wisely lawyered up after he characterized on national tv their captains' early full and free giving of interviews, statements, torso shots, and DNA samples as their being "uncooperative."

My impression of him in the recent forums is a man who is serene and personally unaffected by the havoc he's caused. Blithely holding a sword over the heads of 46 players and their families huddled together under the same "cloud", Nifong shows no empathy for them or any realization that he has been the catalyst for much of the community outrage and resulting turmoil.

[Howlin]

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.

[Brytani]

I remember back in the 80's when all these women all of a sudden remembered being raped, sold to Satan, abused by their fathers, forced to kill their children etc all after spending months in intense counseling.

Around the same time was all the cases of preschool children claiming their teachers were satanists and abusing them. Now we know those cases were all implanted memories.

It just goes to show if people are determined to believe they are somehow a victim, and we as a society are so willing to believe everybody who claims to be victimized, we actually harm true victims of violent crime.

[JeffAtlanta]

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.

Although the team's pictures and names have been posted up all over Durham and the internet, individually they're still all pretty much unknown. I don't any of their names and I'm decently familiar with the story.

If they settled and left 'Duke Lacrosse' off of their resume then they would probably be ok. If any did ever ask them, they could say that they were one of the three out of town that night.

Of course the student body would still hate them, but they would hate them even if they were fully acquitted at a trial and the woman admitted that she made the whole thing up. One of the Duke students on Nancy Grace said the other night that "we shouldn't forget that there were other crimes committed there that night - racist statements were uttered, epitaphs were used" - I don't see how those are crimes, but the Duke students believe they are.

[Neverforget01]

Although the team's pictures and names have been posted up all over Durham and the internet, individually they're still all pretty much unknown

I hear what you're saying, but in the lacrosse world these kids are the cream of the crop. To anyone who follows college lacrosse, they're very well known. Now, after all their accomplishments, they'll have to remove their selection to this team from their resume. All because of a politically motivated DA up for election. What a shame.

[Brytani]

I missed something here - who is/was Freda Black and what was she fired for?