http://www.heraldsun.com/opinion/hsletters/
Grand jury reform
The accuser in the Duke lacrosse case used sex to assault the members of the team. Everybody knows the extensive damage that she has caused. However, other than the minor crime of filing a false police report, she has done nothing wrong. She is free to assault another victim. If she had not been caught by very expensive attorneys, she would have received millions in civil suits. She could use her children to attack a victim and it would be legal. If they attacked a teacher and instituted a lawsuit against the school, the taxpayers would have to pay it. The laws should be changed from no crime at all to a felony. If this is difficult to believe call your representative with the North Carolina State Legislature.
The Jan. 10 column by Beth Brewer about reforming the grand jury was on the right track. Leaders in Durham should form a committee or task force to examine what should be done to prevent other lacrosse cases. This will make Durham a respected leader because we did something about it.
Reforming the grand jury, admitting lie detectors in court in "he says/she says" cases, and making verbal sexual assaults a felony, are some of the things they should consider. The community and victim advocates can help with more recommendations.
Winston Hall
Durham
January 15, 2007
Insight into LAX case
Although some letters from Durham residents express resentment that many critical letters about the Duke/Nifong activity come from outsiders, I have just received a response from a respected friend in a major city to whom I sent The Herald-Sun editorial of Jan. 11 ("Duke hopefuls see beyond lacrosse").
His comments bring a broader insight about the affair:
"All towns and cities have their problems that go along with their many advantages. But I think that the smaller the locale, the greater the focus and emphasis on what purported illegal activity occurs there and how it's handled. (And how it affects a major university there, like Duke.) If, for example, three Duke students had raped a woman and there was clear evidence to this effect, it probably would have made the national news one day and then disappeared. A crime had been committed, and crimes are committed everywhere, so its being properly handled would have been the end of the story.
"But what makes this case stand out and why it continues to stay in the news is how this case has been mishandled from the beginning, how students have been charged without evidence, and how the DA has acted poorly at every turn (obviously to help his election).
"As such, Durham's DA, Mike Nifong and Duke President Richard Brodhead are to blame for Durham's extensive negative publicity. Durham should learn from Pogo who said, 'We have met the enemy, and he is us.' "
J.A. Davis
Chapel Hill
January 15, 2007
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisla...inews-headlines
Parents talk of Duke case
BY JENNIFER BARRIOS
Newsday Staff Writer
January 15, 2007
The parents of three Duke lacrosse players accused of sexually assaulting an exotic dancer last March spoke out last night on CBS News' "60 Minutes," a day after the prosecutor stepped down from the case.
Meanwhile, the forensic expert hired by the prosecution admitted to "60 Minutes" that he should have included in his report that he found evidence of DNA from several men on the dancer - but none from the three accused men.
"Certainly, it was a big error," said Brian Meehan, who was hired by Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong to conduct testing on the evidence.
According to a transcript of the segment provided by "60 Minutes," Meehan said he told Nifong about the evidence from the other men, but Nifong agreed that only evidence that would point to the three lacrosse players should be included in the report.
snip
The accuser in the Duke lacrosse case used sex to assault the members of the team. Everybody knows the extensive damage that she has caused. However, other than the minor crime of filing a false police report, she has done nothing wrong. She is free to assault another victim. If she had not been caught by very expensive attorneys, she would have received millions in civil suits. She could use her children to attack a victim and it would be legal. If they attacked a teacher and instituted a lawsuit against the school, the taxpayers would have to pay it. The laws should be changed from no crime at all to a felony. If this is difficult to believe call your representative with the North Carolina State Legislature.
And, I think this is exactly the approach Coman, et al are going to take. Slam Nifong, exonerate/excuse CGM.
These bogus types of lawsuits and the pinwheel have been going on throughout America for many years. These can be called by other names: reparations for race/gender/class issues. The primary beneficiaries are liberal lawyers, MSM, and Democrat Politicians.
The lawyers who went after Rush, were they punished? no. Did Bill Cosby get any recompense after being falsely accused? Did the chick get punished? No.
By not appropriately amending the "legal" parts, potential accusers like CGM are "encouraged".