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.
Brit Hume on FNC: Mort Kondrake-- good friends with Evans parents. Does not know Evans himself. Worst case of prosecutorial misconduct. Hopes Nifong gets his comeuppance.
Landon School is in Bethesda. Radio said his parents live in Annapolis. They may have two houses because a commute to K street from Annapolis would be brutal.
Yeah, the Beltway Boys are not amused with Nifong. Mora of course can not break completely off the liberal plantation.
Now they have his dna on a sheriff's deputy. He must be guilty!
I'm not trying to be rude, but this GJ hasn't investigated anything. Some GJ do ask for testimony (LIBBY!!!)but this one hasn't. They are done with this case unless the DA decides to charge another player while they are still in session.
BTW, how long is this Grand Jury in session?
It's all about money...she had visions of civil suits...NiFong had an election to win. He got what he wanted. She's still going for the gold. If there is any justice...she'll get silver, instead. Handcuffs
As predicted my family wanted dinner, I have now returned. From the posts I have now sorta scanned, you guys knew there was DNA on the towel and on the floor but it doesn't match any of the accused? What was the Cory chick screaming about then. I thought it belonged to Evans. Even if it does, it is his bathroom.
They serve terms here. They meet either weekly or bi-weekly I think. I was hoping someone locally might know. I have lived here for 13 years and the justice system still makes no sense to me here. It's more about who you know than who is really a criminal.
Nifong says he does not expect further indictments in this matter. Well he better HOPE there are not further indictments as Mangum and Nifong might be candidates. [I am kidding some as Nifong has little chance of being indicted.]
I don't take it as rude, I happen to agree with you. But technically, a Grand Jury is supposed to weigh actual evidence in a somewhat investigatory way. This one seems to be nothing more than bootlickers for Nifong.
I'm sure by the end of the night there will be press reports telling us how many houses they own. I still remember the Newsweek article stating that the Seligmanns' summer home has a tennis court and motor boat.
Wow, there's a shocker.
I think the adults in the press have realized this could be their child at any of the private schools they send them too, say Yale, and are toning down their bias a bit. Not the feminazis but certainly some in the press.
More than one house is supposed to make me hate them? The richer they are the less likely I would find it that their son was desperate for a skanky escort. Only a Kennedy.
Considering she is ex-con wouldn't it be exconsensual
I think I heard early on that they only meet once a month? Correct me if I'm wrong??
I think the Grand Jury meets every other Monday.
Ohhh I missed it. What did Mort say?
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