Posted on 04/21/2006 12:56:01 AM PDT by OakOak
Edited on 04/21/2006 2:52:00 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
At first, a stripper who performed at a Duke University lacrosse team party doubted the story of a colleague who told police she was dragged into a bathroom and raped.
Now, Kim Roberts isn't so sure.
"I was not in the bathroom when it happened, so I can't say a rape occurred - and I never will," Roberts told The Associated Press Thursday in her first on-the-record interview. But after watching defense attorneys release photos of the accuser, and upset by the leaking of both dancers' criminal pasts, she said she has to "wonder about their character."
"In all honesty, I think they're guilty," she said. "And I can't say which ones are guilty ... but somebody did something besides underage drinking. That's my honest-to-God impression."
Attorneys for the 46 players have aggressively proclaimed the players' innocence, citing DNA tests during a public campaign that has included describing and releasing photos from the party.
Those photos, the defense maintains, show the accuser was both injured and impaired when she arrived, and also support the claim that one of the two players who has been indicted would not have had enough time to participate in any assault before he left the party. The district attorney has said he also hopes to charge a third suspect in the case.
The attorneys claim Roberts at first told a member of the defense team that she did not believe the accuser's allegations. They say she has changed her story to gain favorable treatment in a criminal case against her. They note she also e-mailed a New York public relations firm, asking in her letter for advice on "how to spin this to my advantage."
"We believe ... her story has been motivated by her own self-interest," said attorney Bill Thomas, who represents one of the uncharged players. "I think that a jury will ultimately have to decide the question of her credibility."
Roberts, 31, was arrested on March 22 - eight days after the party - on a probation violation from a 2001 conviction for embezzling $25,000 from a photofinishing company in Durham where she was a payroll specialist, according to documents obtained by the AP.
On Monday, the same day a grand jury indicted lacrosse players Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty, a judge agreed to a change so that Roberts would no longer have to pay a 15 percent fee to a bonding agent. District Attorney Mike Nifong signed a document saying he would not oppose the change.
"It seems she is receiving very favorable financial treatment for what she is now saying," Thomas said.
Mark Simeon, Roberts' attorney, said the bond conditions were changed because Roberts is not considered a flight risk. Nifong, who hasn't spoken with reporters about the case in weeks, didn't return a call seeking comment.
Roberts' testimony could be vital during any trial of the two sophomores, indicted on charges of first-degree rape, sexual offense and kidnapping.
Other than lacrosse players and the accuser, a 27-year-old student at a nearby university, Roberts is believed to be the only other person at the March 13 party.
Roberts said Thursday she does not remember Seligmann's face, but said she recalls seeing Finnerty - whom she described as the "little skinny one."
"I was looking him right in the eyes," she said.
Although she would not talk extensively about the party, she confirmed some of what the other dancer told police - including that the women initially left the party after one of the players threatened to sodomize the women with a broomstick.
The players' attorneys have said their clients were angry and demanded a refund when the women stopped dancing, but Roberts disputed that.
"They ripped themselves off when they started hollering about a broomstick," she said.
The accuser told police that the women were coaxed back into the house with an apology, at which point they were separated. That's when she said she was dragged into a bathroom and raped, beaten and choked for a half hour.
Later, police received a 911 call from a woman complaining that she had been called racial slurs by white men gathered outside the home where the party took place. The defense has said it believes the second dancer at the party made that call.
Roberts then drove the accuser - whom she reportedly had just met that night - to a grocery store and asked a security guard to call 911. The accuser was described later by a police officer as "just passed-out drunk."
The defense timeline is backed up by a cab driver who said Seligmann called for a ride at 12:14 a.m., and was picked up five minutes later. The defense argues that if the dancers were performing around midnight, Seligmann would not have had enough time to participate in the 30-minute assault described by the accuser.
The cabbie, Moez Mostafa, also said he saw a woman leaving the party in anger, and overheard someone say, "She just a stripper. She's going to call the police."
"She looked, like, mad," he said of the woman. "In her face, the way she walked, the way she talked, she looked like mad."
On Thursday, authorities released warrants detailing their search earlier this week of Finnerty's dorm room. Seized during the search were a newspaper article and an envelope addressed to Finnerty.
Also Thursday, 5W Public Relations, a New York firm that specializes in "crisis communication," distributed an e-mail signed "The 2nd Dancer," and Roberts confirmed she sent it after learning the AP knew her identity.
"I've found myself in the center of one of the biggest stories in the country," she wrote. "I'm worried about letting this opportunity pass me by without making the best of it and was wondering if you had any advice as to how to spin this to my advantage."
Ronn Torossian, 5W's president, said he replied, but got no response.
"If this person is indeed who they say they are, I would be happy to speak with her," said Torossian, whose firm has represented the likes of Sean "Diddy" Combs, Ice Cube and Lil' Kim.
Roberts, like the accuser a divorced single mother who is black, took umbrage at the notion that she should not try to make something out of her experience. She's worried that once her name and criminal record are public, no one will want to hire her.
"Why shouldn't I profit from it?" she asked. "I didn't ask to be in this position ... I would like to feed my daughter."
Roberts is bracing for an all-out attack, but said she's almost past caring.
"Don't forget that they called me a damn n####," she said. "She (the accuser) was passed out in the car. She doesn't know what she was called. I was called that. I can never forget that."
Roberts, 31, was arrested on March 22 - eight days after the party - on a probation violation from a 2001 conviction for embezzling $25,000 from a photofinishing company in Durham where she was a payroll specialist, according to documents obtained by the AP.
The cab driver said he picked up 2 students at the house...Seligman and another one not identified. It would be interesting to know the ID of the 2nd rider, who also has an alibi.
The LAX team got the wrong order. ;)
LOL!She didn't "ask" to be in "this" position. Right. Someone forced to her strip, to lie, in order to feed her daughter.
Hmm. The alleged victim was former military. Kim Roberts (if this is the Kim on record for embezzeling, in link) is offspring of military. Let's see how that'all gets spun in "Let's Play Dialing for Dollars in the Media Court".
Abrams on MSNBC has done a 180 and now expresses a wee bit of doubt about the rape/attack story. 'Well, if they have proof of their innocence, there's gotta be reasonable doubt...right?' At some point he'll do what Judge Napolitano did on Fox two days ago, express anger and disgust at the D.A. for going forward with an extremely shaky case for political reasons. (Think about it. If the alleged victims were white and the accused kids black, what would the MSM's probable stance be?) For one thing, they wouldn't rush to publish race details.
You were right. And the media used the Rape Shield Laws to cast the illusion that they weren't releasing her name and because of her proximity to the alleged "rape".
Nancy Grace took a convenient hiatus from her show last night (to help pick up trash at her alma mater). I wonder if she's ashamed of her behavior the night before when she screamed and yelled accusations at the Duke players, wouldn't allow any word of possible innocence. I'd like to see her eat crow when she comes back. But she won't. She'll sit there and fume.
Ping - looking for the story on Kim's $25,000 embezzlement.
I feel sorry for the children of these two stripper/"escorts"/convicts. Realistically speaking, the odds are strong they too will end up in the dregs of society having had mothers like these.
.. FOR THE RECORD,
The News & Observer did not run this story (not in the print edition), and instead ON THE FRONT PAGE, they have an article on the SCANDAL at DUKE. In the article, they say groups of students are going to meet in order to address the "Culture at Duke".
So, facts be damned, the N&O is going full steam ahead with FRONT PAGE news on the Culture at Duke, like these players are guility. The did NOT report on the 2nd stripper contacting media firms or being a Convicted FELON.
The drum beat goes on unabated!
Does she still owe 24900.55 in unpaid restitution for that case?
Nancy Grace was also absent from Wednesday nights show. The published excuse was that the Atlanta Airport glitch had stranded her.
Her Tuesday night performance was so over the top, I too wonder if she's been given time to cool off. Her antics were the subject of dicussion on FR...
You're right SirJohn !
We know most likely their Kids are at risk and ill-cared for, if not outrightly neglected.
Absolutely!
And it looks like somebody tinkered with that file on April 17 2006.
Thanks for the Pictures Maggief !
Let me guess, she wants to be an actress!
The other convict told the News & Observer she wants to become a lawyer. I guess it would save her a lot of money!
She could represent herself.
We know her last name now?????
(slapping my head) Where have I been?
No. That stuff is wage-garnished. They get that back before you get your money. It's almost always paid back, unless you skip town and go underground.
.
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