Posted on 05/15/2006 7:14:12 AM PDT by pissant
DURHAM - A Durham grand jury is scheduled to meet today, and the session could mean new charges in the investigation of a reported rape at a Duke lacrosse team party.
Two of the team's players were indicted in April on charges of first degree rape, first degree sex offense and first degree kidnapping. They are accused of assaulting an escort service dancer in a bathroom of a house at 610 N. Buchanan Blvd. Their lawyers say the men are innocent, and lawyers representing dozens of team members say that no sex or assault occurred at the March 13 party.
But the woman says she was attacked by three men, and Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong said he has been working on bringing charges against a third person.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TODAY? If Nifong decides to submit the case, police investigators and possibly other witnesses will try to convince grand jurors in a secret session that the state has probable cause to bring a case forward. Grand jurors will hear only the prosecution's side of the case. The standard required for a true bill of indictment is far lower than the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard required for a conviction.
IF INDICTMENTS ARE ISSUED, WHEN WILL THEY BECOME PUBLIC? On April 17, a judge ordered the indictments in the lacrosse case sealed. The names of the players who were indicted were not released until 5 a.m. the next day when the players surrendered at the Durham County jail. If Nifong again requests that the indictments be sealed, the law allows a judge to keep them secret until the person is arrested or appears in court.
WHEN WILL ALL THE EVIDENCE BE REVEALED? State law requires prosecutors to turn over all of their case files to defense lawyers, but nothing requires the evidence to be turned over to the public. In open court hearings, lawyers often discuss some of the evidence, but the state's case may not be revealed until trial. No trial dates have been set. When a report on the DNA testing is complete, Nifong is required by law to turn it over to all 46 members of the lacrosse team who submitted DNA samples.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The cases against Reade William Seligmann, 20, of Essex Fells, N.J., and Collin Finnerty, 19, of Garden City, N.Y., are moving forward. Finnerty has a court date in June. Seligmann is scheduled to appear in court Thursday. His attorney, Kirk Osborn, has filed a series of motions challenging Nifong's handling of the case and asking a judge to bar the prosecutor from further involvement.
I have only seen this reported once, but Kim Roberts made a reference to a bunch of "limp dick white boys."
I expected David, or whomever was indicted, to read from a written staement. I was impressed. He was quite articulate.
As the black "activist" was doing her political stunt in Joe Cheshire's face, I flashed back to the Scottsboro Boys and saw a "white activist" mouthing her words -- probably matching fairly closely to what "activists" would have said in the Scottsboro Boys' Trial -- words that a black woman is shrieking today.
The woman today has no idea that she probably sounds just like a white activist during that trial in the 30s.
Bigotry and racial prejudice is always ugly. And rude. And demanding to be "listened to". It is not reasonable. It is not civil, it cares not at all to "reason". It is driven by a blind hatred, a self-loathing so deep that it projects, like a vomitus.
I'm glad the black activist spoke. I'm glad that even she can appreciate the freedoms she has in the country.
Freedom is pretty cool, and the cost for such freedoms is constant vigilance and diligence.
Exactly, that is the point his attorney was trying to make about Evans.
A friend called as soon as it was over; she's been quite open minded thinking maybe there was a rape. She listened to this and was impressed with both Cheshire and Evan.
And just compare his articulate speech with Kim's.
The other 9 haven't been caught and charged yet!
I yelled out "yes, YES!" more than once! **blush**
Ok- now they're doing an "in-depth" on FOX.
Me Too. The corruption goes so deep.
Listening...
Quality/innocence vs Trash/deception is the way I see it.
I hope they sue Duke. They share responsibility for this mess.
That's what we said. In a she said/he said case all parties should be given a polygraph before charges are contemplated.
OTOH...it's very reasonable that DNA would be found on/in the fingernail coming from the boy's OWN GARBAGE CAN.
Shep is making a strong case for the defense (so far).
My problem is the chain of custody with EVERYTHING and more particularly with the nails.
I got interrupted by my husband while Brit was talking; sorry.
Good luck with your oral surgery. Ouch. I don't think I'll even be on FR tonight. After the president finishes, "24" is on!
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