Duke Lacrosse Case Charges ARE Dropped

[Sonny]

Link:
http://www.collegelax.us/news.php?actio ... ws&id=1214

[Andy Sharp]

Just watched ABC's Nightline from last night. I would hope that all the coverage today would be as clear and of similar tone. Lacrosse players deserve a dose of non-negative press.

The part that caught my eyes/ears was when the 2nd stripper said that the accuser requested "put marks on me, go ahead, that's what I want, go ahead".

[Sonny]

Just watched ABC's Nightline from last night. I would hope that all the coverage today would be as clear and of similar tone. Lacrosse players deserve a dose of non-negative press.

Watched that too. The Nightline report still rehashed the old standby swipes at Duke Lacrosse at the beginning of the report - "elite whites play the elite sport of lacrosse."

Nifong should burn. This is way beyond simple incompetence.

[StrykerFSU]

It is a great day for the American legal system.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, reflect back on your opinions from those first weeks when the media was villifying those young men and our sport in general. Did you believe them innocent until proven guilty? Did you agree with Sharpton and Jackson who thought it was a case of rich, white males abusing poor, black women? Did you believe they were getting what they deserved as protestors surrounded their home, printed posters with their faces in mugshots, called for their castration, and their university kicked them out?

Justice has prevailed this time but remember this case the next time the media and the race baiters are leading America down the primrose path. I, for one, will continue to wear my blue wristband as a reminder of how fragile our freedom can be.

[TexOle]

In the wake of this news regarding the Duke lacrosse case and comments made by Sharpton and Jackson previously should we call for their termination like they have called for the termination of Don Imus?

I agree Don Imus needs to be fired for his comments, but we need to eliminate the double standard for who can say what. His comments hurt is credibility, and they are costing his employer money through loss of advertising revenue. It was one thing to defend the stripper, and she deserved to be defended. My problem is that we have failed recognize the innocent until proven guilty issue. We have a situation now where certain leaders are more than willing to argue racism without looking at themselves. This is not limited to Sharpton and Jackson. I can think of multiple leaders for every race that are more than willing to push the race card and then argue free speech when they get caught making similar comments. I would love to have an apology when one of these leaders makes a mistake, but it will probably never happen. It is time to let the legal system do its job, and finally we have seen a legal system do its job. We have also seen the do anything to get reelected motive at its finest.

I guess the point in all of this is everyone who accused the Duke players of being elite white privileged kids who commited this crime to show their power and then hide behind money should apologize to them.

[Sonny]

Confirmed

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Prosecutors dropped all charges Wednesday against the three Duke lacrosse players accused of sexually assaulting a stripper at a party, saying the athletes were innocent victims of a "tragic rush to accuse" by an overreaching district attorney.

"There were many points in the case where caution would have served justice better than bravado," North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper said in a damning assessment of Durham County District Mike Nifong's handling of the sensational case.

Cooper, who took over the case in January after Nifong was charged with ethics violations that could get him disbarred, said his own investigation "led us to the conclusion that no attack occurred."

"I think a lot of people owe a lot of apologies to a lot of people," Cooper said. "I think those people ought to consider doing that."

LINK:
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070411/D8OEJ3VO2.html

[Duffy34]

right now on CNN there is a press conference with the players and lawyers speaking...

[StrykerFSU]

Just in case there are any of you out there thinking that the charges were dropped because of lack of evidence and that this decision does not necessarily prove innocence I give you the words of the NC AG Roy Cooper,

Cooper said Wednesday that not only was there insufficient evidence proving the three assaulted an exotic dancer at an off-campus lacrosse player in March 2006, but there was "no credible evidence that an attack occurred at that house on that night." He even proclaimed the players "innocent."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,265481,00.html

You can also read about Nifong's credible star witness here, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,265374,00.html. From what I understand, the state of NC is not going to pursue criminal charges against Ms. Mangum but there is still the opportunity for the players to seek civil action. OF course, they have little to gain from such action so it looks like this deranged woman will never have to answer for what she has done to those players and to this country.

I wonder if Jesse Jackson's offer to giver her a full scholarship to college is still on the table...

[Beta]

I thought Jesse Jackson's scholarship offer was good no matter what the outcome of the case [sic].

[Sonny]

Evidently Imus said this morning on his radio show...

'WHEN WILL SHARPTON APOLOGIZE TO DUKE LACROSSE PLAYERS?"

[StrykerFSU]

Shelby Steele said the same thing yesterday on Laura Ingraham.

[Beta]

Probably when* Sharpton apologizes for Freddy's Fashion Mart, or Tawana Brawley.

(* Never)

[Reilly]

Jackson/Sharpton apology? C'mon.
I am more interested in a Nancy Grace apology. She burned those guys at the cross. She burnt them at the stake in week one of this ordeal, before all the facts came out. It seemed as if she jumped on an opportunity to "create new," a complete abuse of her power. Here is an example...
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/ ... ng.01.html

This hit close to home for me and paid alot of attention to the incedent (as most of us probably did). There is not law suit that can clear the players names, nor change the way their story was initially treated by the press or the authorities. It's sickening.

[StrykerFSU]

I've been searching for columnists with integrity enough to admit that they wrongly condemned the Duke players and haven't come up with much. But I did find this on ESPN.com from Jemele Hill,

Apology to Duke lacrosse players not enough

By Jemele Hill
Page 2

I never wrote it, but I felt it -- which is just as bad. I said it in private discussions with friends, some of whom tried to get me to see the whole picture, not just the picture I wanted to see.

My being a black woman, my knowing too many athletes who treat women like items to be purchased in a vending machine, and my witnessing enough athlete rape trials where accusers are overwhelmed by their fame and fortune -- it all tainted my perception and made me doubt your innocence.

I feel stupid now...

I can't deny that your race, gender and class have everything to do with how you were treated then and how you are treated now. Some people believe white men are exempt from sympathy and incapable of being maligned, so they will not swallow their pride and offer you the decency you should have received in the first place. Yes, you made an unwise decision to entertain strippers at a residence, but that just makes you guilty of being like 90 percent of college males.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/070412

[sohotrightnow]

Nifong apologizes...not that it helps:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/04/12/lacro ... index.html