Nancy Grace has a soul mate.
Well, in fairness, we don't know if this (rather odd) turn of phrase was Jesse Deconto's idea, or if it was inserted by his editor.
In either event, I suspect the reason for it has more to do with a need to protect the Raleigh News & Observer's "street cred" than with an unwillingness, by this individual writer, to admit that the original charges against the Duke LAX team members were so much hooey.
Either way, I think this stilted, artificial, and illogical wording is tribute to the thug culture that rules in Raleigh-Durham now; an admission that the people who try to gather news in that region have to be careful not to be too truthful, lest they get their heads bashed in when they go into certain neighborhoods to get the story.
I’ve had to deal with reporters personally in my life.
I only have respect for one, and he’s local to my area.
Beyond that, reporters have no spine.