What did he have to investigate? She made an allegation, that's all. She provided no information for the cops to follow up with. The alleged event was three years old at the time. It's not as though the cops could go to a specific place, question people, neighbors, look for forensic evidence, etc., verify alibis - nothing.
There was no case without her cooperation. There was no criminal act established. Perhaps unlike Nifong, they don't choose to make it up as they go along. They had no grounds for an investigation without her follow-up and no basis to interroagte anybody. They didn't even have a specific date or address to start with.
Do you think the police should have spread the allegation around town and made a stink about it? I think that would be irresponsible. Maybe the police chief didn't want to smear the young men until he had something concrete to work with. An allegation of an event three years beforehand with no physical evidence, no medical exam, no clothing, weapons, nothing to sieze, and no specific date or address of the alleged event means there was absolutely nowhere to go with it until she provided more information, which she didn't. I'm surprised they even had the couple sheets of papaer they did have because this was ten years ago.
Exactly. The same holds true for domestic violence cases. Woman calls 911 says she's being beaten by her boyfriend. Unless the woman PRESS charges against the guy nothing otherwise goes on.
Additionally, say she does fill out a full report. She is then asked again if she wishes to press charges. If she doesn't, then nothing goes forward.
Perhaps you've misunderstood. I'm merely questioning the failures to recall. Unless Creedmor has a huge crime problem, an accusation of a teen being gang raped by three other teens is not something anyone would forget imo. There was one reported rape in Creedmor, NC in '96. I'm assuming this was it. For some reason, they chose not to investigate despite three people being named. My guess in a town this small (2000) the police chief AND investigating officer wouldn't forget why. No way the case wasn't brought to the chief's attention, unless rape accusations are common in Creedmor (not accrding to NC statistics). There's probably a really good reason for not going forward with the case; I just wonder if the chief really forgets what it is.