Duke rape case set for 2007

Toronto Star ^ | May 19, 2006. 07:02 AM | staff

[Perdogg]

DURHAM, N.C.—One of three Duke University lacrosse players charged with rape wants the case resolved in time for the next school year, his lawyer said in court yesterday. But the judge warned he will not fast-track the proceedings.

The case "is not going to jump ahead of the line and be handled any differently," Superior Court Judge Ronald L. Stephens said at a hearing for sophomore Reade Seligmann.

After the brief hearing, District Attorney Mike Nifong said he does not expect any trial to begin before next year.

[BlueStateDepression]

This just reaffirms that if you have money to get out that your innocence and the establishment of it can wait.

I must respectfully disagree with that premise.

The real solution here is to address why there is a backlog that forces 'SPEEDY' to be dealt with in terms of Years.

[LWalk18]

The real solution here is to address why there is a backlog that forces 'SPEEDY' to be dealt with in terms of Years.

There is only so much courtroom space and personnel, and Durham has a high crime rate, crimes that also must be dealt with in the courts. This case is in all likelihood is going to be long, as in several days or weeks, and will require free space and no doubt extra security for that length of time. I don't think it will be years for a trial, and I don't think it should take the year that Nifong is talking about. But a trial prior to the start of school in August is not likely to happen.

[Locomotive Breath]

"Thru discovery process pretty much all information has to be shared from one side to the other prior to trial anyway."

Well the DA is certainly going to willingly share any incriminating evidence that he wants to use at trial because the defense can cry "foul" if it's not disclosed during discovery.

The hard part for the defense will be to get the DA to disclose information that argues for innocence since, of course, the DA has no intention to use it at trail. In theory, the DA should willingly turn it over, but in practice they fight it.

[F.J. Mitchell]

You may be right, Locomo, and perhaps the lack of a recall provision in our Constitution is why once elected, our politicians prance like puckish, prissy, punkassed, pampered, pompous, princes and/or princesses and treat us more like their slaves than their masters.

Perhaps this alleged rape case will at last wake up the electorate in NC to the fact that even if the rape in question had happened just as Nifong pretends it did, it ain't sh*t compared to the rape our politicians (which includes judges and district attorneys) has subjected we, their employers to.

[BlueStateDepression]

If the reason they cannot comply with a constitutional right to a speedy trial then by all means they need to augment their resources.

As I touched on previsouly in this thread when other business require more labor to keep up they add employees and they add shifts and they add days worked.

It is time that our courts get off this monday thru friday ( sometimes even thrusday) 9 to 4 workweek! You know like MOST of the rest of the population???

[JLS]

If I am innocent there is no real chance I would spend any time in prison.
_________________________________________

Hahahahahaha! You are a comedian.

[GAgal]

I think there is a good chance the case will be moved from Durham to a place with similar demographics. The same reverse racism will greet the defendants there.

If I set out to alienate those potential jurors, I would start by publicly crying about the unfairness of my wealthy client's hardship in postponing his $45,000 a year education. Beth Karas on Court TV mentioned yesterday that the ATM account for Seligmann was $24,000 at the time he made his withdrawal.

If I heard that, potential jurors open to jury nullification heard too. At this point in the witchhunt the best strategy imo is to seek no special treatment, leak in stages enough exculpatory evidence to remind the public of the persecution occurring, and wait patiently for vindication.

[BlueStateDepression]

That sentiment shows who really cares about the truth eh?

Court has become about who can twist the rules more in order to win. Justice is not served by this action and everything that can be done to expose that should be done.

I, for one, hope that Gretta hammers this everyday until they fess up with the facts.

[BlueStateDepression]

While I am not a comedian I hold my honor to be quite dear.

I would gladly be sent to jail before I would admit to something I did not do or even pay someone off that is falsely accusing me.

Does it honestly surprise you so much that someone is willing to stand tall in their convictions rather than bow to extortion?

If it does, you have been sadly segregated from real, true blue, red blooded Americans.

[JLS]

The same reverse racism will greet the defendants there.

"Reverse racism?" What is that? The reverse of racism is impartiality. If you mean the lacrosse players may face the same racism in the new venue as in Durham, you should call it racism. Racism is what it is. You should not change your language become some liberal are too stupid to imagine that racists come in all colors.

[F.J. Mitchell]

LOL! A forgivable typo, considering how long we have been up to our necks in Shiite and stuff.

[JLS]

I would gladly be sent to jail before I would admit to something I did not do or even pay someone off that is falsely accusing me.

As I said before, no you wouldn't. You have not concpet of jail if you think you would gladly be there.

[BlueStateDepression]

You should not change your language become some liberal are too stupid to imagine that racists come in all colors

I thought one should just pay them off?

I actually agree with what you wrote there and that is the very sentiment I have been trying to send you in our conversation. Am I rubbing off on you a bit? Ha ha.

[BlueStateDepression]

Thanks ;)

[BlueStateDepression]

I did not say alone that I would gladly be in jail.

Removing context to spin a meaning is something folks do when attempting to avoid eventual defeat in debate.

In context I would be happy knowing that I had not bowed to extortion and stood up for what was right and proper.

You know kind of like you say when talking about not bowing to a liberal when you say call racisim racism when it is racism and not to call it something else.

[Perdogg]

The case will probably be moved to Greensboro.

[Locomotive Breath]

The law and justice are often strangers.

[BlueStateDepression]

The law and justice are often strangers.

Hopfully we can reintroduce them and see to it they are the best of friends.

[Locomotive Breath]

Somewhere way back I am on record in agreement.

[Locomotive Breath]

Only if we can change human nature. The fact that the law occasionally produces justice is an improvement over the prior condition in which human nature just ran unchecked.