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.
. . . and that is doubly true since Duke headed for the tall grass at the first sign of trouble. But for sure you have to wonder about a Bonfire of the Vanities hazzard if you go to any inner city school.
I thought diversity was the motto of the day. The media and the dinosaur NAACP are still stirring the race pot trying to get groups riled up.
Aw gee, that's too bad when the truth gets in the way of hating whitey. But remember one thing ya numbskull, even the accuser's friend hinted that there was no penetration when she called them "limp dicked white boys." And the only reason Nifong is continuing with this is because he's on a runaway train and he can't get off.
"old Charlie stole the handle and
the train won't stop going --
no way to slow down."
(From Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath")
There is KNifings way out. The only question is, how much he will have to pay to get her to say this? Of course, she could have already said it. We know he doesn't want to drag any names through the mud, so maybe he will release that information after the trial.
Of course they are. There is no money payout without a little racism tossed into the mix. They still have to play out those racism cards, to milk those rich white boys of all they can get out of them.
In theory a DA cannot be sued for performing his job but, in real life, a theory like that can only be stretched so far and Nifong is way past the limit. Nifong, the idiot bigoted voters of Durham, and the idiot bigoted city officials of Durham all richly deserve to suffer for this and the city of Durham needs to be sued into oblivion.
Oh Hell no! Why would a parent want to send their child to an area where blacks want to have innocent whites prosecuted to avenge past crimes against blacks? Maybe Duke should modify its recruiting prospectus: "And we proudly offer all of our white students the opportunity to hire expensive lawyers and a chance to serve hard time for crimes they didn't commit. We are a dedicated affirmative action educational institution here at Duke and in our beloved partner community of Durham."
It's the 1850s all over again.
In theory a DA cannot be sued for performing his job but, in real life, a theory like that can only be stretched so far and Nifong is way past the limit. Nifong, the idiot bigoted voters of Durham, and the idiot bigoted city officials of Durham all richly deserve to suffer for this and the city of Durham needs to be sued into oblivion.
Once he conspired to hide evidence that hurt his case, he was no longer performing his job. In a sense, he was helping the guilty accuser to avoid prosecution for false claims or rape.
The truth be damned. All they care about is "winning" against white defendants.
Nifong is a Dummierat, he only got elected because he was kissing the black panthers butts
I'm not saying that this perspective is correct. ..I'm just saying we should try to understand. . .I'm not saying we shouldn't critique wrong perceptions. . .however. .we need to understand that the whole story is indelibly linked to white America's sad history with regard to its treatment of its non-white citizens.
"The question is what and who did it."
Nothing "happened." No one "did it." She's a race-baiting grifter and Nifong is a POS.
Who is "OUR", fat al and jjs agenda
How touching. Ok, I understand. But those who support liars still suck.
DEMOCRAT!!!!
Racism was legally dead and buried in America in 1964 and that was too good for demokkkrats and libs, they had to reinvent it. This thing in Durham cannot be allowed to stand if anybody is serious about avoiding a civil war here; the city of Durham needs to be sued into tommorrow-morrow land and, if possible, disincorporated and made to cease to exist as a town or city. This needs to end up looking like one of those Old Testament stories in which the Lord destroys some city or nation for idolatry.
They want to fight racism and injustice, fine. Fight it where it really exists. Hanging 3 innocent white kids isn't doing a thing to further their cause, it's just making them look like idiots or worse.
"key members of the county's influential black community"
Code words for race pimps.
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