Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Grand jury may consider new charges in Duke case
Raliegh Observer ^ | 5/15/06 | Ben Niolet

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.


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: duke; dukelax; wtf
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 761-780781-800801-820 ... 2,161 next last
To: JLS

LOL

Get ready....Henry Lee is gonna splain the DNA next!


781 posted on 05/15/2006 2:17:32 PM PDT by Jrabbit (Scuse me??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 777 | View Replies]

To: Jrabbit

I predict Lee talks a lot, but says not much.


782 posted on 05/15/2006 2:18:47 PM PDT by ltc8k6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 781 | View Replies]

To: Jrabbit

I will give them this, being rape nazis has been profitable for that family.


783 posted on 05/15/2006 2:19:01 PM PDT by JLS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 781 | View Replies]

To: RecallMoran

Result of the 1st DNA test.


784 posted on 05/15/2006 2:19:22 PM PDT by Locomotive Breath (In the shuffling madness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 780 | View Replies]

To: RecallMoran

Key: its not the semen of the defendants. So, if they could find that semen of the others what about the defendants. And the fingernail is devastating for the prosectuion. What kind of attack only leaves DNA on the plastic in the trash can? And it has more than one person on it, which means the have the wrong people in RS and CF


785 posted on 05/15/2006 2:19:55 PM PDT by streeeetwise
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 780 | View Replies]

To: Locomotive Breath

I heard about DNA on a towel.

I don't recall semen on towel and floor.


786 posted on 05/15/2006 2:20:29 PM PDT by ltc8k6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 784 | View Replies]

To: streeeetwise

Yep, I forgot. It wasn't the DNA of any of the accused.


787 posted on 05/15/2006 2:21:10 PM PDT by ltc8k6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 785 | View Replies]

To: Jrabbit

We'll all be saying Scuse mE???

I can't understand half of what he says. Besides I still haven't forgiven him for the OJ thing.


788 posted on 05/15/2006 2:21:20 PM PDT by sissyjane (Don't be stuck on stupid!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 781 | View Replies]

To: Carolinamom

That woman Nancy Grace makes my skin crawl. I can't stand to watch her. People complain about Greta, but in my mind Greta is NOTHING compared to Nancy Grace.


789 posted on 05/15/2006 2:21:26 PM PDT by JustaCowgirl (Sessions-The immigration bill is a colossal failure. It's a dead horse laying out in the sun.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 699 | View Replies]

To: ltc8k6

Correct - I didn't read post carefully enough.


790 posted on 05/15/2006 2:21:34 PM PDT by Locomotive Breath (In the shuffling madness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 786 | View Replies]

To: TommyDale
Like I said earlier, I understand them being instructed not to watch the news or discuss the case until they have finished their duty. The poster you were responding to was hoping that the Grand Jury members were hearing the press conference after they were finished with their part of the case.
791 posted on 05/15/2006 2:21:39 PM PDT by Krodg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 692 | View Replies]

To: Shelayne
These people still are trying to say a broomstick was used to sodomize her even though the AV NEVER claimed this happened.

I am embarrassed to be from Durham.
792 posted on 05/15/2006 2:22:20 PM PDT by Perdogg (Durham - The San Francisco of North Carolina)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 766 | View Replies]

To: Locomotive Breath

Let me see if I can review the bombshells of today:

1. Nifong indicted Evans WITH NOT ADDITIONAL DNA results. [They had the partial match prior to the new tests.]

2. The defense believe it knows her motive to lie.


793 posted on 05/15/2006 2:22:56 PM PDT by JLS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 784 | View Replies]

To: SirJohnBarleycorn
Did he also say that the DNA was NOT underneath the press-on nail?
794 posted on 05/15/2006 2:23:24 PM PDT by Perdogg (Durham - The San Francisco of North Carolina)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 761 | View Replies]

To: RecallMoran

On Sean Hannity--Kimberly Guillfoyle says she can't see how Reade Selligman could have committed the crime. Says Nifong must come up with something he hasn't shown yet to have a case . Sounded like she's thrown in the towel.


795 posted on 05/15/2006 2:24:19 PM PDT by Ken H
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 774 | View Replies]

To: JLS

STR...huh? 13 letters...A match A etc. complete match. Partial....maybe 2, 3, 4 match. mumble mumble

Can't say positively this is the person.....mumble

Secondary transference....mumble...trash can....mumble....maybe stuck on fingernail...

That's what I get from Henry Lee.


796 posted on 05/15/2006 2:24:20 PM PDT by Jrabbit (Scuse me??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 783 | View Replies]

To: JLS

Another set of possibilities for her motive arises out of her relationship with the boyfriend.

Many here speculate that the boyfriend is probably her pimp/manager, but perhaps that is not the case, and it may even be that she had been lying to the boyfriend about her "secret life" (as her cousin claims she has been leading) as an escort and stripper. However, I still tend toward the theory that it was likely her boyfriend who dropped her off at the lacrosse party, and that they had had sex just prior to the lacrosse party.

One of the most frustrating things about this case is that I suspect the media is sitting on information about the boyfriend. Does the boyfriend have a connection to the police? Is that why the police detectives have skewed their investigation? I have a feeling once we find out more about the identity of the boyfriend some of the more mysterious aspects of this case will become clearer.


797 posted on 05/15/2006 2:24:42 PM PDT by SirJohnBarleycorn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 771 | View Replies]

To: Perdogg

More idiots that do not understand press on nails from other nails.


798 posted on 05/15/2006 2:24:45 PM PDT by JLS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 794 | View Replies]

To: RecallMoran

I thought he was from Bethesda? I would think that would be cheap for that area.

We lived in the D.C. area in the late 70's and were appalled at the cost of housing. This after moving from Long Island.


799 posted on 05/15/2006 2:24:47 PM PDT by surrey
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 740 | View Replies]

To: Jrabbit

The black female former prosecutor/accuser backer just said what I think the vast majority of Durham blacks feel "Why should THIS case be dropped?"

That's it in a nutshell. IMO blacks don't care as much about a guilty verdict, as they do seeing privileged, white young men go all the way through the process from accusation to verdict, just as so many of their sons have. Nifong dare not end the charade.


800 posted on 05/15/2006 2:24:48 PM PDT by GAgal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 775 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 761-780781-800801-820 ... 2,161 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson