[abb]

This morning's stories...

Incident brings on talks with policemen
http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-755378.html

Is anyone surprised by Cheek's indecisiveness?
http://www.heraldsun.com/opinion/hsletters/index.html#755262

Police conduct adds new turmoil to lacrosse case
http://www.newsobserver.com/100/story/464085.html

Duke lacrosse and beyond
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/editor/index.php?title=duke_lacrosse_and_beyond&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments

[maggief]

From the N & O:

Jason Scully-Clemmons, an assistant district attorney before entering private practice last year, said an obvious key difference between the lacrosse case and the famous California trial is that the races of the accused and the alleged victim are reversed, blunting any accusation the white police officers were prejudiced against those they were investigating. However, media reports may influence potential jurors to be skeptical of the professionalism of the detectives at the center of the prosecution's case, he said.

True, the races are reversed but the police officers prejudice may also include a hatred of Yankees. The racial slurs hurled at the line cook tarnish the PO's badges but their are other aspects to their behavior; drunkenness, anger, intimidation, aggressiveness, bullying, etc. This will not play well given the appearance of witness intimidation but the LAX investigators.