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.
Now you are spoiling the fun of the ignorant jerks on this thread who seem to know all when it comes to racism in the south, which sports are only for the 'rich'. etc.
My experience is that when you are closely following a story, you always see how many TV journalists and experts have absolutely no clue. Sometimes, I get the impression -- seriously -- that they are so busy running from green room to green room and eating power lunches that they couldn't possibly have anywhere near the knowledge of PJ monkeys who are net and channel surfing 24 x 7.
My own favorite empty news suit is BO. I have seen that guy make a complete fool of himself with loudmouth posturing about ~~his~~ "Factor" investigators and such while having a very loose grip on the basics of the story.
I have heard Rita twice this morning repeat that the DNA reports that came back were "inconclusive." Earth to Rita: Going for additional/repeat/independent tests does not make the extant test "inconclusive." Of course, they were negative so one could take the silly position that you can't prove anything with a negative. But calling the tests "inconclusive" is a wild distortion, suggesting that maybe the sample was inadequate or something. What an airhead.
I should say that I think that tabloid news screamers like Rita and Geraldo are at least frantically working on the story, even if their stuff is suspect. That is a step closer to journalism than BO who is nothing but showbiz bluff and bluster.
Most of them go on scholarships if they are good players.
Getting my information from informed freepers. Best sources of all!
Stating the obvious. But complaining about freepers gossiping. But not skipping the thread which is odd since it annoys you so much.
I think there will be one, just not at 10 a.m...........LOL.
That's a good point. Now if they can come up with a boyfriend/john to explain the report finding penetration, they are in good shape.
I didn't take French either, thank you.
Show me the report you been reading chief.
Ah, you've been had; even Nifong said her only injuries were "swelling" and "pain."
Ever had sex?
Rita said the DNA tests were inconclusive? OMG. She's as bad as she was the night of the SCOTUS ruling in Bush v. Gore.
Even the DA has admitted the DNA tests showed not a shred of evidence that lacrosse players were involved in attacking this accuser in any way.
Definitions of rape on the Web:
forced or manipulated nonconsensual sexual contact, including vaginal or anal intercourse, oral sex, or penetration with an object.
FROM HERE: DEFINE RAPE
"wrote:
I believe that if the DA had stronger evidence, he would put it out to the media,"
It's possible, but I've seen cases where the DA kept evidence close to his chest for as long as possible so as not to show his cards to the defense.
"Race matters in the South, but I dare say there are large parts of the Northeast and Midwest that are racially polarized as severely as is the South. After all, some of the ugliest anti-school busing demonstrations occurred in Boston, which is to liberals what Rome is to Catholics."
I have not scrutinized racial relations in all parts of the country or all parts of the world.
Just making the point that a northerner may not fully understand the atmosphere surrounding a situation like this in the south.
OK-so the kid's not an angel. Neither is the accuser. So if the prosecution tries to introduce this to assail Finnerty's character then this woman's theft of a taxi, disobeying an order from law enforcement, attempting to run over the officer (with a stolen vehicle), plus the other scrapes with the law, should also be included.
Possibly, but do they give lacrosse scholarships to private school students like they do for top basketball players? All of this, or course, is merely speculation on my part, I will be the first to admit it. And as someone else posted to me, $100,000 isn't a whole lot of money in NY or NJ, while one would be very well off with $100,000 in NC.
I can't wait to hear more about how one of the arrested kids wasn't even at the party. LOL
That is not charged in this case; try to stick to the facts.
"Oh, I get it, so now there's something wrong with being upper class and an athlete."
No, just when you act like a character out of Animal House.
"I get it."
I doubt it.
"Getting paid to get pounded by men every night would probably lead to injuries consistent with rape (or "swelling" as it's been reported)."
So now the "stripper" is a "prostitute" and that accounts for the injuries.
Just a few posts ago you or somebody else asserted the lack of any DNA evidence ruled out any intercourse.
Amazing logic. I hope the Defense Attorneys are as astute.
I'm glad you found that, Spunky. I didn't think it seemed right, but I didn't look to be sure.
Foreign objects in recesses of the body are not a good thing. I won't even talk about gerbils.
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