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First DNA link possible in lacrosse case
Durham Herald Sun ^ | 5/11/2006 | John Stevenson

Posted on 05/10/2006 11:24:25 PM PDT by OakOak

By John Stevenson : The Herald-Sun jstevenson@heraldsun.com May 11, 2006 : 12:20 am ET

DURHAM -- Tissue found under the fingernail of an exotic dancer who claimed she was raped at a Duke University lacrosse party may match a player who was there, several well-placed sources said Wednesday.

Analyzing the tissue, scientists concluded it came from the same genetic pool and was "consistent" with the bodily makeup of one of 46 lacrosse players who gave DNA samples for testing, the sources said.

At the same time, scientists ruled out a possible match with any of the other 45 students, according to the sources.

If accurate, the fingernail tissue match would offer the first DNA evidence potentially linking the dancer and an alleged attacker.

But because a complete DNA pattern was not obtained from the tissue, it was not possible to match it with the nearly 100 percent certainty that DNA results usually offer, the sources added.

The dancer told police she clawed at three attackers as they raped and sodomized her for 30 minutes during the March 13-14 lacrosse house party at 610 N. Buchanan Blvd.

(Excerpt) Read more at heraldsun.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Local News; Miscellaneous; Society
KEYWORDS: accuser; crystal; dna; duke; dukelax; lacrosse; lax; rape; roberts; sutton
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To: OakOak

If they had combed a pubic hair from her pubic hair, it would have been Mike Nifong's number one talking point the past 6 weeks.

ergo, it was found elsewhere


21 posted on 05/11/2006 1:14:24 AM PDT by David Allen (the presumption of innocence - what a concept!)
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To: David Allen

I wasn't saying that at any time.

I was saying that they didn't mention where it was pinpointed and then they jumped into location on victim's bodies where they search.

There's nothing to indicate it was on her body


22 posted on 05/11/2006 1:20:02 AM PDT by OakOak
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To: David Allen; Howlin; Locomotive Breath; ladyjane; SirJohnBarleycorn; All


* **** *** THIS ISN'T GOOD FOR NIFONG: *** ****

"Under questioning by another prosecutor, the private DNA analyst, Megan Shaffer of Reliagene Labs, acknowledged that a sneeze, a cough or even a handshake could lodge DNA under one's nails."

http://news.findlaw.com/court_tv/s/20060427/27apr2006161939.html

*** ** ** ** ** * **** * * * * * *** ** * ** * * *** **


23 posted on 05/11/2006 1:25:01 AM PDT by OakOak
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To: OakOak

How would a sneeze put it under HER nail?

Are we sure that's where it was, or is this more rumormongering by the press?


24 posted on 05/11/2006 1:27:20 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: OakOak; Howlin; TexKat; All

Holy cow!

http://www.newsobserver.com/122/story/438305.html


Lacrosse defense witness arrested
Cabbie questioned in 2003 incident

Moezeldin Elmostafa was held for five hours at the jail.


Joseph Neff and Samiha Khanna, Staff Writers
DURHAM - A Durham police detective investigating the Duke University lacrosse case arrested an alibi witness Wednesday on a 2 1/2-year-old misdemeanor warrant.

Taxi driver Moezeldin Elmostafa said Investigator R.D. Clayton and another officer asked whether he had anything new to tell them about the rape case before driving him to the Durham County jail. He said no and was held for five hours, until a friend posted his bail on a shoplifting charge.

Ernest Conner, a Greenville lawyer who represents defendant Reade Seligmann, said the cabbie's arrest amounted to intimidation. "It appears to me they are trying to pressure a witness who supports our defendant's rock-solid alibi," Conner said.

Sgt. Mark Gottlieb, the supervisor of the investigation, refused to answer questions Wednesday night.

Elmostafa signed a sworn statement in April saying he picked up Seligmann from a Duke lacrosse team party just after midnight March 14. Seligmann and another player, Collin Finnerty, have been charged with raping an escort service dancer during the party at 610 N. Buchanan Blvd.

Elmostafa's affidavit said he picked up Seligmann at 12:19 a.m. that morning and drove him to an automated teller machine, a fast-food burger joint and back to his dorm. To corroborate the taxi driver's statement, Seligmann's lawyers filed copies in court of phone records, security photos from the ATM and electronic records showing when Seligmann entered his dorm.

The lawyers have said that Elmostafa's account and the records exonerate Seligmann.

Clayton, who is working under Gottlieb on the case, picked up Elmostafa on Wednesday afternoon.

"The detective asked if I had anything new to say about the lacrosse case," Elmostafa said. "When I said no, they took me to the magistrate."

(snip)


25 posted on 05/11/2006 1:28:39 AM PDT by maggief (and the dessert cart rolls on ...)
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To: maggief; Lurker; OakOak

OMG........they are out of control, aren't they?????


26 posted on 05/11/2006 1:30:19 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: OakOak

I'm sure you're right --- it's weaker than the article wants readers to believe.


27 posted on 05/11/2006 1:31:06 AM PDT by onyx (Deport the trolls --- send them back to DU)
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To: maggief

Dan Abrams' head is going to blow off.


28 posted on 05/11/2006 1:32:00 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: maggief; Howlin


Can we all spell "intimidation?"


29 posted on 05/11/2006 1:32:05 AM PDT by onyx (Deport the trolls --- send them back to DU)
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To: maggief; Howlin

This is outrageous!

Really, it's out of control and at another level.

Somebody needs to take over this investigation and start investigating the Durham DA's office!


30 posted on 05/11/2006 1:32:44 AM PDT by OakOak
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To: OakOak; onyx; maggief

This has to mean he has nothing for Monday.


31 posted on 05/11/2006 1:35:42 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Howlin


I agree. He has NOTHING for Monday.


32 posted on 05/11/2006 1:39:14 AM PDT by onyx (Deport the trolls --- send them back to DU)
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To: Howlin; OakOak; TexKat; All

Kim speaks again ...


http://www.newsobserver.com/122/story/438314.html




Published: May 11, 2006 12:30 AM
Modified: May 11, 2006 03:01 AM

'Weird evening' was just the start
'2nd dancer' tells of life since party

Kim Roberts has faced a public storm.

Joseph Neff, Staff Writer
DURHAM - When Kim Roberts drove off from Kroger in the early hours of March 14, she wrote off the evening as an odd episode in her job as an escort service dancer.

She and another dancer had given an abortive performance at a Duke lacrosse party; players hurled racial slurs at her as she left; her fellow dancer passed out in her car, so impaired that police had to pry the woman out.

"I just thought it was a weird evening," Roberts said. "And it was over."

(snip)

Besides the accuser and the players, Roberts was the only witness inside 610 N. Buchanan Blvd. She did not witness an assault; she was outside when investigators say the players raped the other dancer in a bathroom. She spoke briefly about events in the house before clamming up at the advice of lawyers. She said she will tell all in court, under oath.

"I am so ready for the trial," she said.

(snip)

Roberts took a job as a payroll specialist at Qualex, a photo-processing company. There, she embezzled $25,000.

Roberts said she doesn't know why she did it. Her job paid well and she wasn't under financial stress, nor was she using drugs, drinking or gambling.

"Maybe it was a thrill of having a secret," she said. "That's a little bit of the thrill of being a dancer as well."

(snip)

Roberts showed up on time and collected her $400. The players told her they had requested a white dancer and a Hispanic dancer, and assumed Roberts was Hispanic. The other dancer, who is black, showed up a half-hour later. Defense lawyers have said the accuser showed up impaired, a claim Roberts disputed.

"I didn't think she was drunk at the time," Roberts said.

(snip)

Roberts told Newsweek that players gave them mixed drinks. She did not drink hers; the other dancer drank half her glass, spilled it and then drank all of Roberts' drink. "She started stumbling," Roberts said. "When I think back on it, she had a glassy look in her eye."

(snip)

Roberts said she couldn't get the other dancer's phone number or address. She talked with the accuser's escort service, but it was of no help, she said. She drove to the 24-hour Kroger, where a security guard suggested calling police. The police tried smelling salts before dragging the unconscious dancer from the car.

Because there was a warrant for her arrest, Roberts told police she picked up the woman on the road, in a crowd of men yelling racial slurs. Police did not ask her name, and Roberts went home.

A week later, Roberts' escort agency told her police wanted to talk to her about a possible rape. After she gave a statement, police arrested her for the probation violation.

A bail bondsman put up the $25,000 secured bond on the condition she pay a 15 percent nonrefundable fee. Roberts paid half, $1,875, and promised to pay the rest later, her attorney said.

Williams contacted

As the national media seized on the story, Roberts called James "Butch" Williams Jr., who told her he represented a player and couldn't advise or represent her. When Williams asked whether she thought a rape occurred that night, Roberts said no. When Williams asked her to give a sworn statement, Roberts said she would sleep on it.

Several days of discussion ended when Williams brought up pictures taken of the dancers at the party, Roberts said.

"He kept mentioning my statement and the pictures in the same breath," Roberts said. "What are you trying to say, Butch? Are you trying to say if I don't sign my statement there will be pictures? And that's when I said, 'You have the opportunity to tear me apart in court,' and that's when he said, 'I can tear you apart right now.' "

Roberts said she told Williams she'd call police and hung up.

"That did not occur," Williams said. "Never. My dealings were straightforward with her. She got upset about the pictures and totally shut down."

(snip)


33 posted on 05/11/2006 1:39:29 AM PDT by maggief (and the dessert cart rolls on ...)
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To: maggief; onyx; OakOak
Oh, look, they "fixed" her up:


34 posted on 05/11/2006 1:42:06 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Howlin

How would a sneeze put it under HER nail?

The woman was a scientist working at a DNA lab and testifying in an unrelated case. She says sneezes and coughs and handshakes can lodge DNA under nails.

Add to that the fact the Nails were taken out of a bathroom trash can and they was a long delay before the search and seizure. The Defense can certainly argue the DNA may have landed on the Nails in the days after the event.


35 posted on 05/11/2006 1:42:16 AM PDT by OakOak
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To: maggief
Oh, yeah, bet your house Butch has that on tape!

She drove to the 24-hour Kroger, where a security guard suggested calling police

See, that's why she said, "Maybe they can take her where she needs to go."

She's going to be a DREAM for the defense on the stand.

36 posted on 05/11/2006 1:45:27 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Howlin


Oh, I'll wager that is supposed to look like a "class" photo!


37 posted on 05/11/2006 1:46:06 AM PDT by onyx (Deport the trolls --- send them back to DU)
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To: onyx
Can we all spell "intimidation?"

Exactly, this is unbelievable.
38 posted on 05/11/2006 1:46:21 AM PDT by maggief (and the dessert cart rolls on ...)
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To: maggief


It is out-f'in-rageous.


39 posted on 05/11/2006 1:47:10 AM PDT by onyx (Deport the trolls --- send them back to DU)
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To: maggief

As Abram's said, Robert's "is a piece of work"

Nifong will piss her off too and he'll probably have to treat her as a hostile witness. Hostile fits her pretty well.

/ / Maybe, she's lying in the case.
.. FOR THE THRILL OF IT - HER LITTLE SECRET.


40 posted on 05/11/2006 1:49:54 AM PDT by OakOak
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