Posted on 04/25/2006 2:34:48 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsobserver.com ...
LOL--I have one son and two daughters. My son IS fun but getting info from him is like pulling teeth. He's so honest as long as you know the right questions. I'm usually relegated to one word answers on most topics; I understand that's fairly common with boys!
Oh, yes it is. Two young men are in danger of serious prison time for a crime they did not commit, and you've joined the mob of RATS in piling on.
Hypothetical situation: you are a member of a glee club/choir/some group. The group goes away for a performance and at the party after the event one member of your group breaks out some drugs. You are appalled, call a cab and leave.
For some bizzarro reason the druggie claims she got the drugs from YOU. You are then arrested-even though the person who accused you has a long history of lying and breaking the law.
Do you think it's right if your family is ashamed of you?
Do you think it's right if your family is ashamed of you?
No
Of course if the players who attended the party didn't know there would be alcohol and strippers and left as soon as they discovered that, then they have nothing to be ashamed of. However, I don't think that is the case here. I could be wrong.
It's not clear they knew about the strippers beforehand.
One of the players who lived at the house went to his room and was watching Letterman.
The Selligman boy left soon after the girl arrived and the other boy supposedly was at a Mexican restaurant. It's not clear he was there at all.
and we don't even know who they are--yet they are all paying a horrible price for hiring strippers, which isn't even illegal.
Yes, my denying friend, the spite that drips from your posts.
LOL!
God help us all. :-)
My 3 boys are as different as night and day. The youngest is 15 and the oldest is 29. It has been a fun ride even though my 25 year old has been our major challenge.
Boys think you hung the moon longer than girls, but I always found 12 to be the hardest year of all.
My youngest learned from his 2 older brothers, as did I. I used to look at him when he had his tantrums and said "Been there, done that, won't work anymore."
But you are right about 1 word answers and picking the right questions, LOL! They would make good witnesses-only answer yes or no and never volunteer information, LOL!
house adult?
Are you serious?
May not be illegal but it certainly was stupid.
Well mlc9852 you can thank God and pray that your daughter walks and will continue to walk the straight and narrow path. Unfortunately there are others that stray from that path, perhaps more that stray (if only for a short period of time)than those that don't.
It would benefit us all to pray for those that do stray instead of casting stones.
If we all were perfect, then there would not have been a need for a Saviour to lay down his life for all of us.
The devil: is described as a roaring lion going about the earth to and fro, seeking whom he may devour.
One cannot say for certain what the future holds. What temptations one may or may not overcome.
Pray, don't boast!
Yes, because of an opportunistic DA pandering to race and gender politics, based on the word of two strippers with criminal records.
Wonder if they think it was worth it to see a couple of "dancers"?
What a spiteful twit.
And we all hope and pray our kids won't do anything stupid, but chances are they will slip up. I will be proud of them no matter what..I think that's what love is all about.
Being proud of my daughter is hardly boasting. But don't worry, her twin brother has made up for it. He is just the opposite so I feel for parents who have troubled children. I have been there and am still there, which makes me appreciate my "good" child even more.
You seem to want to blame me for my opinion. Why? I really have no influence on this one way or another and I would guess neither do the rest of us. And as for the DA, most DAs would do the same thing under the circumstances.
I am proud of my children when I have reason to be. I am not proud of them when they make very bad mistakes. Of course I still love them unconditionally.
Sorry, forgot to add the media....
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