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.

[Neverforget01]

The stakes are no less than an attempt to extract REPARATIONS via the justice system for injustices, both real and perceived

I couldn't agree more. I believe it was the newsweek article that quoted a NCCU student who didn't care if the accused were innocent. It was payback for past injustices.

[Neverforget01]

"This is a race issue," said Candice Shaw, 20. "People at Duke have a lot of money on their side." Chan Hall, 22, said, "It's the same old story. Duke up, Central down." Hall said he wanted to see the Duke students prosecuted "whether it happened or not. It would be justice for things that happened in the past."

Newsweek

[TommyDale]

"The stripper who charges she was raped by Duke University lacrosse players is so traumatized she sometimes screams at the sight of white men in the street, a new report says."

A definite sign of mental illness. Or was she screaming, "Hey! Tonight is half price night!"

[Neverforget01]

"The stripper who charges she was raped by Duke University lacrosse players is so traumatized she sometimes screams at the sight of white men in the street, a new report says."

Imagine the lacrosse players' nightmares after seeing these two lovely ladies do their thing?

[thomas16]

They said she was stumbling drunk, how could she have flash backs and trauma, I doubt she remembers anything that night. I'm sorry but she isn't exactly "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" her family is trying to set up a civil case because they think their ship has come in. As the other stripper said "spin it to my advantage"

[mlc9852]

"All because an extortion scheme went awry.."

All because these young men were very stupid...

[Neverforget01]

her family is trying to set up a civil case because they think their ship has come in

Not only has their ship not come in, she'll be lucky, imo, to stay out of jail for filing a false police claim.

[snarkytart]

Not only has their ship not come in, she'll be lucky, imo, to stay out of jail for filing a false police claim.

__________________
Let's hope it plays out that way. I see that EVERYONE is swooping down on these guys, the race hustling lawyers, the media. It's sickening.
I only hope for justice in this case.

[Locomotive Breath]

One of the three residents of the house was supposed to have been uncomfortable with the night's events and went to his bedroom, shut the door, and watched Letterman. Anyone remember which one it was?

Frankly, I've been waiting for Nifong to take this tack a long time ago with respect to the underage drinking at the party which was freely admitted, i.e. use it as a lever to force cooperation. I hadn't thought the prior incidents.

[GAgal]

Here is an article with players names and deferred charges:

http://www.newsobserver.com/1004/story/422786.html

[toldyou]

"All because these young men were very stupid..."

As are many high school and college students. Some just don't get caught......

[twigs]

I was once robbed at gunpoint in Washington, DC by a black man. For awhile after that, just seeing a black man on the street really did frighten me, so I can understand her reaction if in fact she really was raped by a white man. But I kept telling myself that only one man was responsible for the hold-up and I needed to get over this. Eventually I did, but it took awhile. This is a normal reaction. But I don't have much faith in this woman's credibility at this point.

[GAgal]

Team captain Matt Zash who his attorey Kerry Sutton said was watching David Letterman at the time.

[writmeister]

From the article, Nifong has potentially seven players in his cross-hairs.

[abb]

LB, this was a setup fromt the getgo. AV and Kim smelled money and lawyered up, then the lawyers/race pimps fluffed the story to the Driveby Media. Nifong latched on for the ride and now he can't turn loose.

You can't have a Driveby Media Riot like happened early on here without a PR machine to fluff the story...

[Locomotive Breath]

Jesse Jackson once admitted that when he hears footsteps behind him on a city street and turns around to see a white man he is greatly relieved.

[GAgal]

I wonder if the three 22 yr. old players cited for a noise violation were team captains living in the other LAX house nearby?

http://www.newsobserver.com/1004/story/422786.html

[ladyjane]

I do not see how Nifong can prove the non-resident violations since he has put all the players in a position (as a potential John Doe #3) where they will likely need to invoke their Fifth Amendment privileges.

Now *that* is interesting!

[uncitizen]

Jesse Jackson once admitted that when he hears footsteps behind him on a city street and turns around to see a white man he is greatly relieved.

Reeeeeallly Racist.

[snarkytart]

He sure is!

Finnerty is due in DC court today ...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3817320.html


Collin Finnerty, 19, of Garden City, N.Y., was due in D.C. Superior Court on Tuesday for a hearing to determine whether he violated the conditions of a diversion program he entered after being charged in that case.

Finnerty and two other high school men were accused of punching Jeffrey O. Bloxgom in the face and body after he told them to "stop calling him gay and other derogatory names," last November, according to court documents.

Under the terms of the diversion program, the charges would be dismissed after Finnerty completed of 25 hours of community service. The agreement also called for Finnerty to refrain from committing any criminal offense.

"We're considering revocation of the diversion," said Channing Phillips, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
________
I am sure Finnerty's attorney's will ask for this to be postponed. The judge has the final say. I hope he will be reasonable.