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Posted on 05/11/2006 9:17:59 PM PDT by TexKat
DURHAM, N.C. -- A Duke lacrosse player whose DNA may match tissue found under the fake fingernails of an exotic dancer who claims she was raped was identified in a photo lineup with 90 percent certainty, sources tell NBC-17.
The Durham Herald-Sun reported Thursday tissue found under the accuser's acrylic fingernail 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 paper cites several sources and said scientists also 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.
90 Percent Certainty
Now, NBC-17 has learned that the player is not one of the two already accused in the case -- Reade Seligmann, of Essex Fells, N.J., and Collin Finnerty, of Garden City, N.Y. He is, however, a player that the alleged rape victim picked out in a police lineup with 90 percent certainty.
The 27-year-old North Carolina Central University student told police she was beaten and raped by three lacrosse players while she performed at a March 13 team party. She said she clawed at the players in an effort to fight them off.
Never Applied?
Defense attorneys claim, however, that nothing about the reported possible DNA match means anything to the case if you look at the type of fingernails, where they were found, and if you look at a picture of the accuser's hand shortly after she arrived at the party.
According to defense attorneys, police found four stick-on acrylic fingernails in a trashcan at 610 Buchanan Street, the house where the party took place. The tissue connected to the possible DNA match was found under one of those fingernails.
But defense attorneys said the third player accused lived at the house and it is no surprise that trace amounts of his DNA could be found inside his own trashcan. They also said they don't believe the type of fingernails that were found -- the kind that are applied with an adhesive strip -- actually ripped off during an attack. They don't believe the fingernails were ever applied and they say they have pictures to prove it.
NBC-17 has seen a picture of the dancer's hand at the house when she performed her dance routine. It appears that long, fake fingernails were on some of her fingers in that photo, but not all of them.
Other photos show what defense lawyers believe is red fingernail polish on the walls of the house and on the railing outside the house. They believe the accuser was painting and applying her nails while at the party.
Defense attorneys admit that none of them have seen the DNA report the Herald Sun article is based upon, but they said if District Attorney Mike Nifong has the DNA report, their clients are entitled to see it.
Accuser's Father Responds
The accuser's father called reports of a DNA break in the case long overdue.
"I wasn't surprised to hear that. I feel like we should have learned it before," he said.
Kim Roberts, another dancer who performed at the party where the alleged attack took place, paid an emotional visit to the accuser's parents on Thursday.
"It was real emotional -- she was crying, my wife was crying. She said that she was sorry she left (outside) the house before my daughter did," the accuser's father said.
Authorities said they would know what the DNA shows by early next week.
That could be, since ABC reported that the semen belonged to the stipper's boyfriend. It's likely, if that's a true report, that the boyfriend has an arrest record.
And it would have to be for something relatively serious if his DNA is on record. Maybe another rape.
Probably. Maybe it was the phrasing that jumped out at me.
Even Dan Abrams said they all knew who the 3rd player is going to be.
Actually it is in reference to the old English folk song. Back in his book learnin' days, SirJohn helped cover tuition by tending bar.
You can hear a MIDI version of the old English folk song on the web. Go to http://www.contemplator.com/folk.html#top, go to songs sorted by country, go to England, go to John Barleycorn.
What did Miller say about the cabbie? I missed that one.
It could be the false accuser told SANE/LE she had sex with her boyfriend in the day/s before the party, and a DNA sample was taken from him to distinguish his "consensual" contribution from their "forcible" contributions. He may not have a record, but given her known paramours he probably does.
I couldn't find where, but I'll keep looking. I did see on another thread that the DNA came from her boyfriend. It's probably here, too, but I'm not that far.
<< I'm getting sick of this feeling that THEY are deciding what we should and should not know. >>
With a couple of exceptions, the media has practically been a part of the prosecution team. I wonder what other information they've been sitting on that might happen to favor the lacrosse players.
Kevin Miller doubted the cabbie's credibility because in order to talk to him you have to take a ride in his cab. The cabbie doesn't want to give up fares to talk to the media.
Shocking, ain't it?
That's true; the Durham cops have got to be feeling embarrassed over this prosecution because it makes them look bad since most people don't know that the DA has been using his own investigators and pressing ahead despite the evidence.
Judging from the way they have covered events just this week, probably a lot.
I wonder if the media knows WHEN the warrant for the cab driver was issued? I'm betting it wasn't in 2003.
Why weren't they outraged about that?
God forbid they should "loose access."
But not to worry! They're on the case; and what's really important, Kevin Miller got Nancy Grace to call into his local show!
As OakOak pointed out the N&O kept some of the false accuser's allegations out of their early softball interview with her. The editor pointed to that with pride, as in "We could have printed much more, but chose not to." I'd like to see how those withheld allegations stack up to facts now known.
"I'm still wondering where the police chief is in all this."
Do you think that he knew Nifong was lying through all of this, and didn't want any part of it, so he tried to stay out of it?
Exactly.
I'd love to hear him explain exactly what the difference is between the cab driver asking people to "take a ride for an interview" than him kissing Nancy's butt so she'll call into this show.
Oh, I remember that now. Miller thought the cabby should talk to him instead of trying to make a living by charging his riders. Arrogant and disgusting attitude imo. My thanks for your answer, maggie.
<< Now the word on the street here is he has a silver bullet. >>
I can't believe even a dolt like Nifong could really think the fingernail partial match is a "silver bullet."
Nifong may be referring to a still-to-be-revealed toxicology report showing evidence of date rape drug or something similar. Which wouldn't be a "silver bullet" either IMO.
The same Durham cops who snuck into a Duke dorm to try to corner the players to ask them to "come clean" when they KNEW they already had attorneys?
The same Durham police who went through the press corps, showing them pictures of the players, asking them, "Was this guy at the party?"
The same Durham police who asked the cab driver if he had anything else to say in the Duke case and when he said no, took him to jail?
Prolly not.
Remember the article in that St. Petersburg newspaper about the girl who worked on the staff of the campus newspaper at NCCU?
THEY KNEW and didn't print!
And remember the journalist at the NCCU paper who deep sixed a report on the false accuser because the journalist uncovered some disturbing information about her.
They never give up. If Nifong is trying on a white hat and intimating he has a 'silver bullet', he needs to face the fact that he is NOT the Lone Ranger. Beam me up, Tonto.
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