Posted on 12/27/2006 6:45:13 AM PST by bocopar
Radio Spot Script for 12/29/06 A couple of weeks ago, Time Magazine named those of us who contribute online content, Persons of the Year. I respectfully disagree. If it were up to me, the 2006 Persons of the Year would be Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong, and Duke University President Richard Brodhead. Nifong, a Democrat who it would appear, used a sensational case for his own re-election, and Brodhead for forgetting all about that “innocent until proven guilty” thing, disbanded the nationally-ranked Duke lacrosse team, and is now wondering why admissions at Duke are down.
Maybe because some parents may be concerned that a district attorney was more interested in his job than the guilt or innocence of three “priviledged” young white men, who were dumb enough to, along with the team, to hire two poor, black strippers to dance at a party. Maybe because DA Nifong told the company that basically cleared the boys due to a lack of DNA evidence, to keep quiet about those results.
The so-called victim, it appeared through the DNA evidence, had as many as ten partners before going to the lacrosse team party. This so-called victim’s friend that evening said she didn’t see or hear of this gang rape occurring. The victim has reportedly changed her story of what happened that night close to a dozen times, and now her family claims she feels threatened. I wonder what's worse: being called a rapist, or seeing a possible lie falling down all around you?
Nifong has dropped rape charges against the boys, and thus has now called into question the validity of the remaining charges of kidnapping and sexual offense.
While this was going on, the usual suspects in the media and at Duke put the faces of the three young men everywhere, declaring them rapists before they were ever brought to trial. While suspending the students and canceling the lacrosse team’s season, it would appear this whole episode may be finally heading for a federal investigation.
The three young men, whose names I’m withholding, will be forever scarred by this incident, and I hope the attention quickly turns on the supposed victim who it appears made the whole thing up, and a zealous District Attorney who loved his job more than justice. Should the three sue the state of North Carolina, I don’t think any amount of money will restore their reputations.
The families of all those involved in this sad story will never be the same. This story calls into question the integrity of our judicial system, and the integrity of those we trust to take care of our kids when they go off to college.
District Attorney Mike Nifong and Duke University President Richard Brodhead are my choices for 2006 Persons of the Year. 2007 may not be so kind to them.
There is justice.
This is the most haunting line in the story:
"This story calls into question the integrity of our judicial system".
And it is true.
These three need to file a civil suit against Nifong, Duke University and all those who judged them before they had any evidence of an actual crime. They need to sue these groups/people into insolvency. They may not be able to get their own reputations back, but they can and should destroy the reputations of those who so unfairly treated them.
at the minimum they should sue nifong. if that man has a job in 2008 i will be sorely disappointed.
It may not restore their reputations with some people, but those are the people who accused them because they were guilty of "being rich and white".
But the final settlement should be in such large figures that these kids will be pretty well set for starting out their adult lives, and they will be exonerated in the eyes of everybody who's paying any attention to this.
Seligmann was reportedly caught on camera miles away from the scene of the alleged crime getting money from an ATM machine.
Any young white man who even thinks of attending Duke is insane.
I don't agree. Nifong abused the system -- everything from withholding evidence from the defense to the unorthodox photo lineup. How can any judicial system account for that?
Where the judicial system fails is not allowing for the prosecution and punishment of Nifong for his actions.
TEN partners?
yikes
A key point - these young men should be seen as heroes for battling the false charges, not as forever tainted. Forever tainted are Nifong and his Tawana.
I have a nephew who is being recruited by Duke for football.
I think this situation has caused him to cross them off his list.
As I said to him on Christmas why go to a school that will through you under the nearest bus if you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time withoug any sort of investigation or allow you to attempt to clear you own name.
The Regents and Trustees must be having sleepless nights over Broadheads stupidity.
through = throw
And they know it was ten because she didn't wash. Double yikes.
I'd like to call the false accuser Tawana-II but it's only fair to call her by her real name - Crystal.
Let the shame of it all follow her around forever.
Crystal clear. "His Tawana" is a rhetorical device, like Harriet Myers being Bush's albatross.
The other stripper is no charmer, either.
If those three are about to sue anyone, the media (everyone from the local Durham outlets on up) should head the list.
Never happen, of course, but I can at least bring up the point.
Your nephew is smart to cross them off the list.
I would counsel a child of mine to avoid that institution given their actions in this situation.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
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