Posted on 12/24/2006 6:00:25 AM PST by Raebie
RAPE CASE Blacks aren't judging Nifong
Community leaders await next step after dropping of charges
FRANCO ORDOÑEZ fordonez@charlotteobserver.com
While scrutiny of the Durham district attorney's handling of the Duke lacrosse case intensifies, key members of the county's influential black community still back the prosecutor, though cautiously.
The district attorney, Mike Nifong, dropped rape charges Friday against former players David Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann after the 28-year-old accuser said she was unsure whether the players had penetrated her.
The move spurred outrage against the district attorney for continuing a case many legal experts say has completely unraveled.
But several members of Durham County's African American community said they believe Nifong is keeping his word to fully investigate.
"It's not going in our favor at this point," said Durham County commissioner Michael Page, adding that he felt Nifong would continue only if he had evidence of something occurring that deserved punishment.
"The question is what and who did it."
Cora Cole-McFadden, Durham's mayor pro tem, said she thinks Nifong is doing what he believes is right.
"I'd rather not be judgmental," she said. "I'm certainly anxious to see how this legal process is going to work."
The Rev. William Barber, president of the state chapter of the NAACP, urged patience.
"This is not a sound-bite case," Barber said. "We do not want a rush to judgment or a delay of justice."
The support of the African American community has been key for Nifong, who has received strong support among black voters.
More than a third of registered voters in Durham County are African American.
The accuser, an N.C. Central University student hired to perform as a stripper at a team party in March, has long said that three lacrosse team members raped her in a bathroom. On Thursday, however, she told an investigator that she was no longer sure that a penis was the body part that penetrated her.
The defendants still face at least 20 years in prison if convicted on the remaining charges of first-degree sexual offense and one count of kidnapping.
Nifong hasn't returned requests for comment. He told The New York Times on Thursday that the accuser is determined to continue. He said he will prosecute the players unless "she tells me these are not the right guys."
The players' lawyers and family have demanded the case be dropped based on lack of DNA evidence and questions about the accuser's credibility.
"It's hard to figure out how this DA is playing this," said Kevin Finnerty, father of Collin Finnerty. "It's pretty obvious to us that from the outset this man has been using this case for his own personal and political gain."
U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., and state Rep. Stephen LaRoque, a Lenoir County Republican, among others, have called for Nifong to be investigated for possible prosecutorial misconduct.
The Rev. Frederick Davis, pastor of First Calvary Baptist in Durham, said he is withholding judgment on Nifong until the case is over. He expressed concern of the media storm is having on the accuser stating he hopes she is receiving the proper counseling and family support.
"My prayers are with her," he said.
There you have it. The black agenda in Durham.
What's this "our" business? Is he the stripper's boyfriend or something?
. . . that's just creepy.
Yeah, OJ is innocent and the Duke players are guilty. Until blacks get over their victim mentality, they will not get ahead.
It's more than creepy. He's the County Commissioner who just admitted who's corner he's in.
If that's the case, I'd like to know how those folks can excuse turning around and doing to someone else what was done to them.
I heard on the news that applications to Duke are down 20%. In that kind of atmosphere, I wouldn't send a kid down there, either.
No doubt Davis made similar statements about the LAX players all along, right?
Not going in their favor? Because just maybe, duh, none of these boys actually did anything? Thank you, African Americans. You got your punisher.
If that Newsweek reporter's right, they've become the victimizers.
That's not what I'd call progress.
Civil war is on its way. When it comes to convicting a person on the color of his/her skin and simply because of their financial status...
To be consistent, that would mean also being judgmental about themselves, and they'd rather not do that either.
After all, there's no black and white, no good or evil.
Nobody's perfect....so let's get on with the lynchings.
Leni
This witness has absolutely no credibility. The whole case should be thrown out, dismissed with prejudice. If I was the judge I'd call a hearing and suggest that the defense make such a motion. After I affirmed it, I'd have Mr. Nifong locked up while we figure how to best remove him from public life.
this is just a hate crime....white innocents accused by a black ho.....
of course blacks aren't judging nifong....they held a celebration for judge ito after OJ!!!!
of course if the circumstances were in reverse...it would just be racism!!!!
Based upon Nifong's misconduct if I were a "black leader" I'd be looking at Nifong's past cases involving blacks.
"It's not going in our favor at this point," said Durham County commissioner Michael Page"
Strange thing to say. Had this been a white stripper accusing three black men of rape, would Michael still be saying "our favor"? Doubtful and in fact, I believe marches, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would have already been involved!
Just what would be the reaction in the black community if this case were being pursued against 3 black men accused of raping a white stripper? That's a rhetorical question as I think we all know the answer.
It's sad when race trumps truth, logic, justice and decency. I honestly don't understand this mentality. It's ugly, self destructive and self defeating.
"The question is what and who did it."
Not going in our favor?!
This is not a football game! I'll just bet this guy throws the word 'justice' around at every opportunity. Except this one.
And I would submit that the question at this point is not "what and who did it". The question is "was anything done at all".
How disappointing.
How disgusting.
As far as I am concerned, Duke school officials are part of the problem. They were just as complicit at railroading these boys, as this DA was.
With no evidence, they tried and convicted their own students. They cancelled the Lacrosse season, the coach was forced to quite, they kicked two of the boys out of school.
School officials denied these boys their civil liberties because they were terrified of the black communities reaction.
All of that on the word of this so-called victim. The victim seems to have a problem telling the truth, and now the DA has the same problem.
I found this link on Drudge-
http://www.newsobserver.com/100/story/525091.html
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