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.
The reporter was repeating what defense lawyers supposedly contend - that neither of the charged players was at the house that night. Whether that means not there at all or not during the time of the alleged rape ... ??
There has never been any mention of any OBJECTS or CONDOMS in any of the court documents.
I just saw that, too. I was hoping someone here saw the same thing. On another thread, several days ago, when they said she identified two guys, I posted a comment that said I hoped they were the players who weren't there that night. Did I get my wish?
It was on a pst from yesterday.
The article stated "the witness, who was also black" or something along those lines.
It was thread from yesterday on this subject.
Apparently some people are working out some MAJOR personal issues online.
"No kidding. Who knew some spoiled drunks hurling the N word could engender so much righteousness?"
I've already seen plenty of your posts on this thread. Clearly you are choosing your set of facts and others, another set. Yet your facts exclude anything exculpatory(sic?) of these "spoiled drunks" while simultaneously equivalating alleged racial insults which, if true, sickening, are not a crime.
Sounds like 12 others like yourself were on this Grand Jury where alleged racial insults make up for the lack of physical evidence.
So, I guess you think I'm "trolling"???
saying it correct = saying IS correct.
Do you have a link to the court documents? Have you seen them?
I don't know any of the players of their parents, but as a parent myself I can imagine the pain they all must be suffering. My heart goes out to them.
They all look alike. ;o)
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12366767/
Seligmann is “absolutely innocent,” said his attorney, Kirk Osborn. “He’s doing great. That’s all I have to say.”
Asked what led to the indictments, Osborn said: “Apparently it was a photographic identification. And we all know how reliable that is.”
Finnerty’s attorney, Bill Cotter, said, “We’re surprised that anybody got indicted, quite frankly.”
“The next jury will hear the entire story, which includes our evidence, and we’re confident that these young men will be found to be innocent,” he said.
And if you son was one of the 46 people destroyed by a false accusation, what then?
Just never mind because this girl wanted to avoid a public drunkenness charge and cried rape and got her "day in court," right?
Interesting....
I sure hope they have a press conference. And considering that DA refused to look at photographs taken that night which refute the stripper's story, he's got an agenda. To get elected. And appeal to his constituency.
The court documents are all over the web. Go to smokinggun.com.
DelBarton, Del Barton, I'm not a typist pal.
Its in Mendham, Morris County, New Jersey, a Catholic Prep school for the well-heeled in that area.
Its off old Route 24 west on the east bound lane.
That convince you, smart-guy??????????????
Thoughts of lust?
Ok, then I'll defer to you since you seem to know what all the evidence is that the DA has.
You don't need to sarcastically defer to Peach, you just need to read up. There is a ton of evidence available to anyone who cares to look for it.
Google is your friend. Too bad you can't find some common sense on google.
Google works great doesn't it. You just misspelled it again.
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