Lacrosse players face old charges (Nifong retaliates against Duke Lax)

News & Observer ^ | April 25, 2006 | Benjamin Niolet and Joseph Neff

[abb]

DURHAM - District Attorney Mike Nifong plans to reinstate misdemeanor charges against a half-dozen Duke lacrosse players, saying a March 13 party where a woman reported a rape broke the deals that the players made with prosecutors.

Nifong's decision could affect players who, before the party, had entered agreements in which prosecutors would dismiss the cases if the players performed community service and stayed out of trouble for six months or a year. Among the first to have his charges reinstated was David Evans, one of the team captains who lived at 610 N. Buchanan Blvd., the site of the party in which lacrosse players hired two women from escort services to dance. One of the women told police that she was raped by three men in a bathroom.

Two players, Collin Finnerty, 19, and Reade William Seligmann, 20, were charged last week with first-degree rape, first-degree sex offense and first-degree kidnapping. Their attorneys say the men are innocent.

On Monday, an attorney for Seligmann filed a motion seeking information that would help attack the credibility of the woman, the only person, according to the defense filing, who says a rape occurred. The motion seeks information about the woman, including criminal charges, mental and emotional problems the woman has suffered as well as social services, probation, child protective services and victim's advocacy records.

Today, Finnerty is due in a Washington court where prosecutors in an assault charge are considering whether to revoke a deferred prosecution agreement similar to those affecting other players in Durham.

According to court records, 16 players were charged in the past three years with misdemeanor charges in Durham including noise violations, public urination and alcohol violations. The deals placed the men on probation for either six months or a year.

[sissyjane]

Hmmmm......Kim is that you???

[mystery-ak]

hugs and kisses

[Dukie07]

Come on, do you honestly think Kimmy could find her way to this site???? Hello!! ;)

[maggief]

I thought they found DNA from mutiples under the AV's nails, just not the LAX team.

Where did I hear that?

Gotta run ... bbl.

[abb]

Maybe its Crystial...

[sissyjane]

Be back soon. Going to watch Dan Abrams...can't believe this case is making me watch MSNBC, but what's a girl to do?

[litehaus]

"We know he cut a deal with Kim. What about Crystal?"

Would someone warn Je$$e Jaxson bout 'staying out of strange bushes?'

[Carling]

GHB can also be self-ingested. This would actually make more sense since she was semi-functioning after leaving the party.

How would this be devastating to the LAX team? Wouldn't someone have to prove that she was drugged?

[snarkytart]

OMG. I turned on CourtTV a few minutes ago. Did anyone hear Nancy Grace just say that Colin Finerty appeared in court in DC because, "he beat a guy to smitherines there."

Not kidding....EXACTLY what she said!
________________

She is back at it again! She was surely quiet over the last few days regarding this case, now she has something to sink her teeth into.....she is a sham.

[Carling]

How can you charge some one with admistering a date rape drug when your only evidence of who did it is the statement of a discredited witness who only noted the AV was a lot more intoxicated at the end of the party than at the beginning.

Also, in this latest Kim Roberts' tale, Mangum slammed one and a half mixed drinks after getting to the party. Could THIS also raise her intoxication level? ;)

[TexKat]

Grace is a disgrace. Being a woman and all myself, I hate to say it but Disgrace needs a good either or. Or perhaps both. That would make for a good movie. Title would be Taming of the Shrew. Staring misgraceless herself.

[abb]

Yeah, and she'll push the "date rape" angle, too, I imagine...

[Locomotive Breath]

I think he was blinded by his hard-wired misperceptions about class, race and gender into assuming the case was a good one. "Of course, those rowdy, rich, white athletes raped that poor young black mother. Her difficulties in life will just make her a more sympathetic accuser to the jury." Even Nifong could not have been so stupid as to promote this case knowing that he was going to end up with egg on his face before the election (e.g. negative DNA).

As Disney's Davy Crockett used to tell we children of a certain generation "Be sure you're right and then go ahead". Nifong is the right age but apparently was never allowed to watch Disney.

[subterfuge]

The accuser is frightened alright. Frightened of being found out to have made the whole thing up maybe?

[Carling]

I also wonder how Nifong can prove that the rohypnol wasn't self-ingested. It is a fairly common drug in the club scene. A bottle cap shot of 'G' and it's off to Mellow Land.

[toldyou]

LOL!

I hadn't watched her much. When I did, I sorta liked her. After that remark today, my opinion has changed completely!

[abb]

Do we know she actually had a drug in her system? Where's the tox screen? All Nifong has is Kim's word that she saw Crystial take a drink...

[abb]

Whorealdo and Guilfoyle up on Hannity's radio show next...

[mystery-ak]

How would this be devastating to the LAX team? Wouldn't someone have to prove that she was drugged?


That's what Megan Kendall said and the judge on Fox agreed...

[TexKat]

I thought they found DNA from mutiples under the AV's nails, just not the LAX team.

Ah! probably just clumps of nail glue mistaken for something else.

Gotta run ... bbl.

Me too. See when I get home!