They could be self-inflicted. She could have had a job before the Duke Party and someone drove her to the Duke House. Was that man her boyfriend, as many beleive?
BUT, the biggest thing is that the SANE nurse may have said the injuries are consistent with rape - AND the injuries could've been blown out of proportion (no one has seen the report). Many, Many lawyers contend that the physical condition of the genital area that SANE nurses ID as consistent with Rape is also consistent with CONSENSUAL Sex.
Also, except for extreme cases (this woman did NOT spend much time in the hospital) - SANE nurses can't differeniate whether the tears were inflicted 3 hours or 30 hours ago.
THIS REPORT.. A Civil Rights activist was placed in charge of doing this report, formerly from NCCU, and I can't believe some of the comments/conclusions.
Finding: Broadhead was not made aware of the Race of the victim (racial aspect) and that was a major error.
My comment: I think Duke is saying, and the Media is accepting, that this would NOT have been handled as an URGENT matter is this had been a white woman. By saying they should've been made aware of the race of the victim, they are saying It would've been handled differently.
What a terrible thing that is .. Urgency in handling crimes should be ranked by the Race of the victim or racial aspect of the crime?
Finding: Duke shouldn't had trusted the information from the Durham police.
Comment: What? Police agencies communicate daily. If you don't believe the DPD, who are you going to believe, where are you going to get your information? Does anyone believe less communication would be a benefit?
Finding: Durham Police shouldn't have questioned the woman-
Or shouldn't have doubted the woman.
Comment: This committee Now knows Police work? They are not qualified in any way to judge Police and the judgements they make hundreds of times a day and we never hear about it. Why it it good enough for Police to assess people's stories in all other occasions, but not with this woman?
Finding: I don't know if this was a finding, but in the N&O
Chambers is quoted as saying that the Police should've believed the woman.
Comment: WHY? Every day, many times a time Police use their judgement and discretion. When they arrive and two people are fighting. Each says it was self defense. The Police check the records and one has 4 assaults on his record and a restraining order against him by a unrelated person, you see where I'm going. Police discretion is a practial necessity. Every Police officer can tell you stories of people that have called the police 300 times on a neighbor.
Are these people on the committee aware that ALL people should be afforded the same treatment as this woman, and if that is the case, then you'd need to build many more courthouses, hire many more policemen and expect major delays in Police emergency response times. But I think they are saying certain people should warrant special police treatment - and that is just plain UNAMERICAN!