Posted on 04/18/2006 3:26:57 AM PDT by Mad-Margaret
DURHAM -- A day after a grand jury indicted two Duke University lacrosse players in connection with a reported rape, two men emerged from a sheriff's deputy vehicle and were led, handcuffed, into the magistrates office at the Durham County Jail at 4:54 a.m. today.
The arrests stem from a party that began March 13. The accuser, who is a mother of two, an N.C. Central University student and an escort service dancer, told police March 14 that she was sexually assaulted by three men in a bathroom at an off-campus house shared by three lacrosse team captains. The accuser is black; she said her rapists were white.
Defense lawyers said players maintained that there was no sex at all. They said the accuser concocted the story, that she was drunk and injured late March 13 when she arrived at the three-bedroom house at 610 N. Buchanan Blvd.
"... Two young men have been charged with crimes they did not commit. This is a tragedy," Bob Ekstrand, who represents team players, said Monday in a prepared statement. "For the two young men, an ordeal lies ahead. They do not face it alone; they face it with the love of family and friends and strengthened by the truth. They are both innocent."
Superior Court Judge Ronald Stephens sealed a manila envelope containing the indictments shortly after the grand jury finished its business Monday. The judge cited a state law that requires everyone involved in a case, including witnesses, to keep the indictment secret until a suspect is arrested.
Last month, a judge ordered DNA tests on the team's 46 white players; he excluded the only black team member. The players' attorneys say the tests showed none of the players' genetic material on or in the woman.
Nifong, bolstered by a medical exam that found injuries on the woman consistent with sexual assault, says he is confident that she was assaulted in the university-owned house. Nifong said last week at a forum at NCCU that the accuser identified at least one of her attackers.
Until Sunday night, the only other witness, the second woman hired to dance at the party, had remained silent. In television interviews, she told her story.
The woman's attorney, Mark Simeon of Durham, declined Monday to make her available for an interview. She spoke on the MSNBC cable news network, which did not identify her and showed her in silhouette. Simeon confirmed that it was his client on MSNBC.
The woman told MSNBC that she did not witness a rape and does not know whether one occurred.
The woman said she arrived thinking that she would be dancing at a bachelor party of 15 people. She was not expecting a party of lacrosse players, many of whom she said were in a drunken stupor. The woman said she was infuriated to learn that some players photographed her dancing.
The accuser did not appear to be on drugs or to have been drinking when she arrived, the second dancer said. She was "absolutely fine and in control of herself."
When the accuser left, less than an hour after she arrived, she was incoherent and stumbling, the second dancer said.
"She couldn't really walk on her own," the woman said. "She really couldn't get her thoughts together enough to answer any questions. ... She was a different person than I met at the beginning."
The second woman said she was the person who called 911 as the party was breaking up, to complain that some lacrosse players had used racial slurs. "The boys hollered the 'N' word," she said. "I was upset and called 911."
She said she pretended to be a passer-by because she didn't want people in her life to know about her job as an escort service dancer.
It is unclear how that woman's story would affect the case. Players' attorneys have said she would only help them. By day's end Monday, Nifong left without talking to reporters; it remains unclear what evidence he has.
Throughout Monday, there were many more reporters on the sixth floor of the courthouse than the 18 members of the grand jury panel. Reporters tracked the district attorney's movements in minute detail. Just after noon, Nifong emerged from his office and walked across the hallway to the bathroom.
Reporters surrounded the bathroom door in a crowd that included five television cameras, three still photographers, sound men with boom microphones and at least a dozen print reporters. At the sound of flushing, the group tensed, raised cameras and prepared. Nifong did not emerge with news.
"I no longer get to go anywhere in my community without people knowing who I am," said Nifong, who faces two challengers in a primary election May 2. Staff writer Anne Blythe can be reached at 932-8741 or ablythe@newsobserver.com.
She was in the Navy, while on active duty she became pregnant by another sailor, not her husband and I believe she was discharged before the baby was born.
Sounds like the two guys have been temporarily suspended:
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2006/04/moneta_statement_print.htm
The Kennedy nephew? William Smith? (I think)
GASP!
I hadn't thought about that! She has no class. None!
Big difference. Getting drunk in college is no big deal. Getting drunk in public, exposing yourself and your safety, your legal freedom, is a whole other story.
I hope the defense got the footage from the ATM camera. They may not have because it would tip-off the DA and the accuser of a possible defense for that one accused guy. I believe they maintain those images for quite a while due to 911.
Forgive as I haven't been following this closely but I just heard Nancy Grace report that according to Newsweek NO bruises were visible in any photos until after 12:30 a.m. Isn't this contrary to what has been reported by others or did I not hear correctly?
It's hard to hide what the searchers bring with them to find.
wow
I never knew that. About him or Fund. How scary!
You are wlecome any time. I am right off the Bronx River Parkway and Webster Ave. right near the Woodlawn Cemetery.
You can come on some collection calls with me and come to my self defense class. We don't allow dojo kings in there, its only about street self defense. The two instructors are incredible. One is a Marine Colnonel and the other a NY Cop of 20 years. Good stuff!
I think it would be hard to have sex (with another person) and not leave any DNA. And I'm not talking about semen.
Skin cells fall off all the time, hair follicles are constantly being lost.
Now, imagine (it's late) having sex with someone and having to force that person to have sex with you at the same time.
I cannot fathom THREE men doing that and leaving absolutely NO DNA. I read if you take a car trip of any length with someone else and you'll get some of their DNA on you or your clothing.
"I ain't saying she a Gold Digger"
(They're popular lyrics for all my fellow old people)
Finally
Duke case up now
Thanks for the details....she must have asked for the discharge or discharged for adultery under the UCMJ code..
Anyone who has naive illusions about the justice system should simply watch how Nancy Grace operates and understand that this woman once was coupled to the prosecutorial machinery of the state.
She tends to reach premature conclusions and then becomes so rigid in her thinking that she becomes unable to properly assimilate new facts and make the proper adjustments to her previously-formed conclusions.
Having said that, I don't mean to trash our justice system -- any system administered by humans will be imperfect, and we have more checks and balances built into ours than nearly any other country.
To be honest, I try to get most cases resolved without it going to a judge because "justice" really is a crap shoot in most cases. I don't like playing poker with my clients' cases and we often have to make business decisions, not emotional ones.
I thought it was Easter, but I'm a guy, so what do I know.
Multitasking, I guess
Don't forget: While walking down the steps! lol
Pinz
Good post. Thanks.
Corner of Webster Ave., McLean Ave., and Bronx River Pkwy. You are welcome to stop by any time.
Ted Williams is an idiot
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