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Duke lacrosse investigation (continued) March 31, 2006

http://www.insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?pagerid=2&news=fdetail&storyid=118940

DNA tests

On Thursday, March 23, Durham police DNA-tested 46 members of the Duke men’s lacrosse team. All but one member of the team was ordered to report downtown to the Durham Police crime lab at 4 p.m. that day for testing. Police also photographed and interviewed the 46 individuals, according to the Duke Chronicle.

The one member of the team who was not asked to report for testing was a black male, and therefore did not match the description given by the alleged victim, who identified the suspects as white males.

In addition, Nifong has said that there is the possibility that at least two individuals at the party were not members of the lacrosse team, but came with a lacrosse player.

On Monday, the samples arrived at the State Bureau of Investigation's crime lab in Raleigh, according to Noelle Talley, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office. She said the lab has agreed to work quickly on the case. In her words, the SBI lab “stands ready to work the case and has agreed to rush it.”

According to a Herald-Sun article, several lawyers described the turnaround as “lightning speed for the agency’s chronically backlogged laboratory.” Results from the DNA samplings could be available as early as next week, according to that same article.

Nifong—who is up for re-election this year—said he personally would handle the case and that, just because results are due back next week does not mean they will be immediately released to the public.

Nifong went on to say that it was important to act swiftly under these circumstances because the lacrosse players may leave town at the end of the current academic year, which would make them harder to locate if additional testing or information were needed.

Because he was told that everyone at the alleged rape scene was a member of the lacrosse team, Nifong stated: "We don't know who the assailants are, but we know they came from this group…It's perfectly logical that we concentrate our efforts on this group."

Nifong also pointed out that even if there is inconclusive evidence, not all of the charges hinge on DNA evidence and that there is other evidence that could be used to charge individuals in the alleged rape.

Charges for the alleged assault could include first-degree forcible rape, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree sexual offense.

I'd never heard that before; thanks for posting that.

I will say this: I think Nifong is lying. Ask yourself why Nifong didn't get DNA or a photo lineup of those alleged (hehehe) two people who weren't members of the lacrosse team. It makes no sense. I think he's lying and used that excuse of two others outside the team as being at the party to cover himself should the DNA come back negative. Which it did.

oh okay, this is Nifong saying, it is a "possibility" there were two people other than the lacrosse players at the party. Nifong spoke to the media the first two weeks before he even investigated, so who knows if this is the truth.