Bad News for Duke

[LAXFAN]

If anyone gets the channel "Headline News" turn it on right now. One of the most un-objective and accusing type "news" broadcast I have seen in my entire life. Nancy Grace has guests talking about what the "rape survivor" will be going through at this time.

[LAXFAN]

Show just ended. Ridiculous. At each break she kept showing the number for the rape victim hotline. Only one guest at least of the portion of the show I saw, was not saying the players were guilty, this guest she immediately asked if he had a sister or a mother and had no concern for them or for a rape victim and immediately cut him off and switched to another guest. I wonder if Nancy Grace will publicly apologize if it turns out these players are innocent. (rhetorical question). Absolutely pathetic.

[Adam G]

Innocent until proven guilty? Not if you're a Duke laxer.

[LAXFAN]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/ ... ng.01.html

Sort of difficult to follow but if you go down close to the bottom where the guest called S.Miller is on, she doesnt even let him show how she distorted the facts about the photo timeline and that at 12:03 the "victim" is shown to have brusing and cuts on her legs when arriving at the party.

S. MILLER: I didn`t say that. I said we`re concerned that it`s possible that two innocent people may have had their lives ruined, because this case does have many irregularities...

GRACE: Do you have a sister?

S. MILLER: ... and many inconsistencies.

GRACE: Do you have a sister?

S. MILLER: Yes, I do, but I would appreciate it...

GRACE: I assume you`ve got a mother. I mean, your first concern is that somebody is falsely accused?

S. MILLER: Don`t tell me what my first concern is, please. My first concern when I first heard these allegations...

GRACE: That`s just was the first words out of your mouth. Maybe I`m crazy. I don`t wear a hearing aide.

S. MILLER: I didn`t say that was -- my first concern when I first heard these allegations was that an innocent woman had been raped. That was the first thing that came to my mind and I think came to anyone`s mind.

S. MILLER: But as the facts started to come out, there was many irregularities and inconsistencies that troubled me, like many other people. You`ve talked on this show about how she had bruises on her the day after.

GRACE: No, that night.

S. MILLER: But a photo taken at 12:03 before the alleged rape occurs shows that she had bruises and open sores on her body. We also have the 911 calls...

GRACE: That`s not what "Newsweek" says.

S. MILLER: At 12:03...

GRACE: Yes, that`s not what "Newsweek" says.

S. MILLER: ... in the report, it says that there are already bruises at 12:03.

GRACE: OK. Let me get another reaction from Monica Johnson-Hostler, the executive director of North Carolina Coalition Against Sex Assault.

[Adam G]

Innocent until proven guilty? Not if you're a Duke laxer.

[A.J. Stevens]

I know that most of the Duke laxers will take a wait and see approach as to what the future of Duke lacrosse would be like. Is Duke supposed to make a decision next month from what I have read and heard about or did I get that wrong?

The burning question on my mind is Dankowski. I know his dad is the head coach of the Hofstra Pride, so the question is- will Danko jump ship? Will he elect to stay put? Of course, all that depends on what the Duke administration decides. If Danko does jump ship, will he go to Hofstra?

Dankowski has said he will stay and graduate from Duke no matter the final result. I heard this during commentary from one of this weeks CSTV games.

[Sonny]

Circumstantial evidence
Duke lacrosse case far more complex than it looks

Glancing at the sexual assault charges against the Duke lacrosse players, many will say it's nothing more than a matter of she-said/they-said. It's the easy thing to say. But it's too easy. Looking more closely at the situation, there are six critical factors that will determine the outcome.

Based on my experience analyzing material after rape charges were filed against Mike Tyson, Marv Albert, Mark Chmura, Kobe Bryant and others, the six factors to scrutinize are the injury to the victim, the brevity of the encounter, the brutality of the alleged sex, the stories of outcry witnesses, any previous predatory conduct of the accused, and the skill and dexterity of the prosecutor. All six are critical factors in the prosecutor's decision to file a charges. And they become the outline for the evidence presented to the jury in the trial that will begin in Durham, N.C., in several months.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/w ... 4/18/duke/

[Gregg Pathiakis]

If anyone gets the channel "Headline News" turn it on right now. One of the most un-objective and accusing type "news" broadcast I have seen in my entire life. Nancy Grace has guests talking about what the "rape survivor" will be going through at this time.

I cannot stand Nancy Grace.

[Tim Whitehead]

The talked about this on the Daily Show last night. They didn't make light of the situation, just the way the media is handling it. They took special time to mock Nancy Grace...

[Sonny]

Key Evidence Supports Alibi in Potential Rape Defense for One Indicted Duke Player

Reade Seligmann Was At Party, But Has An Alibi and Taxi Driver Witness and a Call to Girlfriend

April 19, 2006 — On Monday, they were indicted for allegedly raping and kidnapping a 27-year-old woman at an off-campus party. On Tuesday, they turned themselves in and were released from custody after posting a $400,000 bond. For Duke University sophomore lacrosse players Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann, a long legal battle has just begun.

Over the last few days, sources close to the defense have given ABC News an exclusive look at the evidence behind one player's alleged alibi — evidence that includes electronic records, photographs and witness statements. If that material is authentic, it could prove that it was practically impossible for him to rape, kidnap or assault the alleged victim.

Seligmann's argument is simple: He is innocent and he has an alibi. He attended the party that night, but documents, photos and witness testimony show that he wasn't there long enough or at the right time to attack the alleged victim.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/LegalCenter/s ... 806&page=1

[SLUDoubleDeuce]

A little off the current line of posts, but I'm not sure that's a bad thing. I tried looking through the thread, and I didn't see anything on this. Does anyone know how the games that Duke did play before the season was cancelled (i.e. Butler, Maryland, etc.) and those that were yet to be played, will be handled in the records and standings of opposing teams for playoffs?

Does Maryland and such still get to include the game and those that weren't played not get to? Hope that makes sense. I tried looking on the NCAA website for a press release or something but didn't see one. If anyone has come across one, that'd be nice to see.

[ME]

What about eligibilty? Will all the Duke players who played in the few games this season lose a year of their eligibilty?

[StrykerFSU]

Sharpton was being Sharpton on O'Reilly last night. My favorite part was when he stated that he and Rev. Jackson were working behind the scenes on behalf of the alleged victim so as to not distract from the case.

They also discussed a possible change of venue...do the players have a chance at an impartial jury in Durham?

[Brent Burns]

Dankowski has said he will stay and graduate from Duke no matter the final result. I heard this during commentary from one of this weeks CSTV games.

If Danowski actually said that, I can not see how he would fiddle his time without playing lacrosse the next two years. That would depend largely on what the Duke administration decides about the Duke lacrosse program (keep it or kill the program). That is what I was basing on Danko staying at Duke w/o lax. He would be antsy to get back on the field. On the other hand, I can understand if he elected to stay at Duke, he would consider his Duke diploma a better value and a better investment. He probably would go to another university with impeccable academics, etc. Danko would be too good for a Duke lacrosse club under NCLL. I may be wrong about that.

[ACE]

They also discussed a possible change of venue...do the players have a chance at an impartial jury in Durham?

This was something that concerned me as well. If this doesn't get thrown out prior to trial, it can't be in Durham or they might as well plead guilty.

MSNBC had a great video outlining the time line and showed pictures that made a great case for the defense, especially for Seligmann. I wanted to link it, but "suprisingly" I can't find it on there now.