Bad News for Duke

[Tim Whitehead]

Huh? You sure are quick to pass judgment on the "criminals" but not the profession of the working (stripper) mom.

I don't judge you on what your job is, Sonny. Why should I judge her on hers?

[LaxRef]

If this isn't grounds for dismissal and prosecutorial misconduct, I don't know what is.

Yeah but hey threaten Jack McCoy with that all the time and it never sticks.

How do you think the trial's going to go down now, if at all, when everyone knows the prosecutor withheld exculpatory evidence?

[Danny Hogan]

i think SP is missing the old sarcasm

[Rob Graff]

I find this disclosure more than a bit disturbing:

Also Friday, a lab director admitted in court that after an agreement with Nifong, he violated his own procedures and withheld results showing none of the players' DNA was found on or in the woman's body.

Dr. Brian Meehan, lab director at DNA Security Inc., said he and Nifong agreed to include only DNA matches in the report on his testing results. The report released in May omitted information about people the DNA tests excluded, including the fact that no genetic material from any member of the lacrosse team was among that from several males found in the accuser's underwear and body.

"We are extremely troubled by that," Cheshire said. The full testing results, showing the exclusions, were disclosed through a defense request in October. They did not become public until Wednesday.

Meehan said that he had been concerned about sensitive, private information becoming public and that the omission was not an attempt to withhold information.

here's the link:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2698515

[laxfan25]

Sorry if it seems harsh, but Mr. Nifong appears to be the biggest sc*mbag in this whole story. If the investigation had been handled properly from the beginning, rather than as political opportunism, the whole thing would have been cleared up early on.
I do hope they follow through on the charge of prosecutorial misconduct.

[shrekjr]

prosecutorial misconduct.

Dang, you city folks use such big words! Down here in the sticks, we just says thangs like string 'em up or fry 'em.

[Sonny]

A Holiday Message from Nancy Grace (courtesy of SNL):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQe40ycRQ0s

[Rob Graff]

PER cnn and msnbc (msnbc article link below):

Rape charges dropped against all 3 players.

Kidnapping and sexual offense charges remain.

Rob


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16327270/

[Sonny]

The players — Dave Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann — all say they are innocent. Their attorneys have consistently said no sex occurred at the party and have cited a lack of DNA evidence in the case as proof of their clients’ innocence.

“It’s highly coincidental,” Cheshire said, that the charges are being dropped a week after the director of a private DNA testing lab acknowledged that he initially, with Nifong’s knowledge, withheld from the defense test results showing none of the players’ DNA was found on or in the accuser’s body.

What is the legal definition of kidnapping?

[BucLax13]

http://www.answers.com/topic/kidnapping-legal-term

[Sonny]

Nifong did not immediately return calls for comment, and a sign posted on his office door read, "No media, please!"

LINK:
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/12/22/D8M65A9G0.html

Can't wait to see Nancy Grace's comments.

[Brent Burns]

It is quite incredulous about those guys being charged for kidnapping. All I can think right now is this old-fashioned word for this situation- balderdash!

[LaxRef]

So, I'd like to know how it's possible to claim that you were raped, wait 8 months for the DNA tests to come out, proving that you lied, and then change your story and say that you no longer remember being penetrated vaginally. How does that work?

THe most disturbing thing is that they said dropping the rape charges may just be a tactic to keep the DNA evidence from coming into trial at all. I would hope that there would be some legal way of using that evidence to undermine the credibility of the alleged victim.

And how do you sell the kidnapping charge anyway? If there's no rape, what motive did the players have for kidnapping her? Were they going to hold her for ransom?

[laxfan25]

I think this is just the first step of the eventual unraveling of the entire case.

[Sonny]

Once nearly silent, Duke now weighs in on lacrosse assault case
AARON BEARD
Associated Press

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke University stood largely silent in recent months while a rape case against three lacrosse players inched through the legal system. But now - with the worst charges dropped and criticism of the prosecution growing - the university is speaking up.

"There was a time when there was great pressure on us to feed the media beast and we just refused to say anything," said John Burness, Duke's senior vice president for public affairs and government relations. "We felt it was really important for (university) President (Richard) Brodhead to speak for the institution when there was an important point to be made. And certainly this last week has provided that."

District Attorney Mike Nifong dismissed rape charges against the three players Friday. Brodhead promptly issued a statement questioning the validity of remaining sexual offense and kidnapping charges, and said the veteran prosecutor "has an obligation" to explain his handling of the case.

Athletics director Joe Alleva issued a statement in support of the players, and new lacrosse coach John Danowski said in an interview that the program would "stand by these kids and their families until the whole thing comes to a conclusion."

The change has come as criticism has increased of Nifong's handling of the case against Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and David Evans - the three who are accused of assaulting a stripper hired to perform at a March team party.

LINK:
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/n ... 313312.htm