Duke Lacrosse Rape case - what is wrong with this picture
There is something about this case that just doesn’t make sense. I don’t believe those guys were innocent. I think a deal was made. You have three rich White men who were allegedly falsely accused by a Black woman and the prosecutor allegedly was reckless in the way he handled the case, and yet, the alleged innocent rich White victims didn’t bother to sue their Black accuser or the attorneys handling her case. What part of the country did this take place in? I don’t think so! You have a prestigious school whose name has been tarnished and the monies they lost for suspending the Lacrosse team pending DNA results, and they didn’t sue either. I don’t think so!
I believe people were paid off including the Black woman and the lawyers (period) to simply make this case go away. Lastly, where is the Black woman? I bet sister girl is a rich woman right about now and she is enjoying the spoils that were generated from the indiscretions of those young men.
Hello, Cynthia. I hadn’t been paying attention to the case, but I did see a network report after the dismissals were announced. I’m with you 100% on this one. I seriously believe that something happened, and that either the young woman was bought off, or she was threatened into acquiescence (most likely both). The three young men they interviewed didn’t at all seem angry or hurt. They talked a mean game, but overall I’d have to say they each looked like the cat who swallowed the canary and was being given a very public pass on it. The prosecutor’s office was extremely forgiving of the allegedly dishonest accuser, too. If she was lying, and they really thought she was lying, they’d have thrown her under the court.
None of this is scientific, of course, but you’re right, Cynthia. It stinks to high heaven.
There is a bit of dark humor to be gleaned from this incident. What the original prosecutor did wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow had it been done to working-class black defendants (especially had the accuser been white). Such defendants would have been under the jail by now. But Nifong screwed up; he went after rich white boys. Those boys’ families brought wealth, influence, and public opinion (favored as it is toward wealthy white men) to bear against the state, and what would have been business as usual turned into a rogue prosecutor pimping a lying, unstable accuser.
Comment by Church Secretary — April 18, 2007 @ 6:42 am
The only way you have come to that conclusion is if you either heard the facts and are ignoring them intentionally, or you are just plain ignorant of the facts of the case.
If it was a white woman who accused 3 black males of rape and she was found to be lying and the suspects were exonerated, you would probably have a different opinion, no?
Racially and socio-economic conspiracy theories certainly are interesting though.
Comment by Bullfrog — April 18, 2007 @ 9:52 am
Cynthia, please put your biases aside because this chick doesnt deserve your respect. She’s a ho and her story was a lie filled with inconsistencies. Granted I dont believe those white kids were choir boys either, but that doesnt mean they shouldve been railroaded.
Comment by Mr. Grey Ghost — April 19, 2007 @ 6:23 pm
I am not sure what happened in this case, I didn’t follow it closely, but it did just resurface and end somewhat abruptly, considering how it first was covered.
I do feel, that it was very crass for the media to be plastering her face all over the place, in an attempt to rectify their original folly. This is just another example of people not thinking clearly when race is involved. When did we forget that this was an alleged rape case? If this case had not become about race, they would still have respected any other girl’s privacy, due to the fact that rape, especially in grey areas such as this one presented (not referring to her alleged lie, just the situation in general), women are less likely to step forward, out of fear of just such a thing happeing…public humiliation, if they, even in earnest, can not prove their case to a jury of their peers. The way they handled this whole thing is very sad, really. What is also disturbing is their “strategic” placement of this news alongside with the Don Imus news in most cases. Causing conflicting emotions in any simple minded person who views it. Do you now assume, that maybe black women deserve to be called “nappy headed ho’s”, since they are making “fake” allegations of rape???? I mean this is just one big, sad, circus, and really another underhanded attack on black women.
@grey ghost – I think your comment is very asinine, and laced with hatred. I am not sure why you are quick to call this girl a ho, as if you are the authority on who should be called such. IMO, a gentleman would not make such a comment (regardless of the caliber of women or person, they are referring to), so I have to assume, you have no class. I also have to wonder how you can gloss over the fact that these boys were definitely not stellar citizens by any means. One was on trial for a hate crime, and they were all found with lewd, and racist comments in their e-mail. Let’s not forget, that they had every reason to believe these boys were capable of this crime.
The media ran away with this story before they got the facts, and that has caused more ill feelings than anything, and created even more animosity where none was needed. If you all recall this surfaced at a time, when CNN started focusing on race relations, sexism (prostitution in the US and abroad), and other social issues in great depth, maybe the media just saw this as an opportunity to highlight these issues in a real life situation. Too bad they didn’t wait for clear and solid evidence. Or maybe they meant to do exactly what they accomplished, which is create even more hatred against black women.
Comment by EmergingPhoenix — April 21, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
I’ll never believe these slick, rich, spoiled little boys are innocent. I’ll never quit believing that woman was raped. But a black woman who is raped by white men immediately becomes the perpetrator and not the victim. The media will tear her limb from limb. The white community will rally round their fortunate sons.
I think money changed hands. I hope for her sake it was a large amount. I don’t blame her for selling out. Who wants that shit? Who wants to add that much insult to injury? Who wants to be the sacrificial lamb in the war of the good ole’ boys vs. an unempowered black woman.
My only regret is that these guys aren’t in prison being someone else’s bitch. But their day will come. It always does.
Comment by Diane S. — April 29, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
Rush to judgment is a key issue in our society today! Please let me introduce myself; my name is Barry Porter and I am the Director of Marketing, Adult Publishing Group at Simon & Schuster.
I don’t know if you are aware but Pocket Book/Threshold Editions is about to publish It’s Not About the Truth: The Untold Story of the Duke Lacrosse Rape Case and the Lives It Shattered by Don Yaeger, with Mike Pressler. I have attached the cover image and the press release of our upcoming publication. I would love to send you copies of the book when it becomes available; I just finished it and still cannot believe what I have read! There is so much more to this case then has been released, that is covered in this book.
At this time our pub date for It’s Not About the Truth is 6/12. All marketing, online, and publicity efforts will kick off that week. I just thought you would like a “heads up” about our publication. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me back.
Regards,
Barry
Thanks for stopping by. I would love to read the book. I want to know who was paid off?
Comment by Barry Porter — May 4, 2007 @ 9:45 am
My thinking exactly, except I didn’t figure she was getting rich. Hmm. Oh the things that go on in this world.
Comment by Brandon — May 4, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
Take a look at my post on this over at my blog. Let me know what you think.
Comment by Brandon — May 4, 2007 @ 1:15 pm