Rape charges against Duke lacrosse players dropped

[The Straight Story]

Rape charges against Duke lacrosse players dropped
The Associated Press | Friday, Dec 22 2006 9:40 AM

Last Updated: Friday, Dec 22 2006 9:40 AM

DURHAM, N.C. — Prosecutors dropped rape charges Friday against three Duke University lacrosse players accused of attacking a stripper at a team party, but the three still face kidnapping and sexual offense charges, a defense attorney said.

Joseph Cheshire and attorneys for the other players have said for months the woman told several different versions of the alleged assault.

Cheshire said Friday that the accuser now says she does not know if she was penetrated, which he said led District Attorney Mike Nifong to dismiss the rape charges.

Nifong did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

The accuser, a 28-year-old student at North Carolina Central University, has said three men raped her in a bathroom at a March 13 team party where she was hired to perform as a stripper.

http://www.bakersfield.com/619/story/90693.html

[hiaasenrocks]

1. When will the stripper be charged with making false statements to police?

[DisgruntledVet]

2. huh?

"Cheshire said Friday that the accuser now says she does not know if she was penetrated"

Are you shitting me? She KNEW it all along, and now she's not so sure? My BS detector is beeping like a son of a gun.

Was was sober, then she was drunk, there was a broom, there wasn't...this lady needs some serious help.

[wicket]

3. Hoo boy

:popcorn:

[NaturalHigh]

4. It's about damn time.

Any rational, thinking person knew from the beginning that this case was stinking up the courtroom. The Duke players should sue the hell out of the DA and the accuser after they are acquitted of these other charges.

[Catherine Vincent]

5. No rape charges but there's still the kidnapping and sexual assault?

Is there some plea bargaining going on?

[MrCoffee]

6. if there were, the rape charge wouldn't be dropped

you don't give away your high card if you're trying to get a plea bargain.

[Catherine Vincent]

10. Well apparently something did happen at that party.

Why didn't they drop all the charges?

[MrCoffee]

13. anymore, i don't think anything at all happened there.

if the "victim" is still claiming that they restrained her or held her captive, there might be evidence of kidnapping. The sexual assault charge is beyond me.

The "victim" has zero credibility anymore. Personally, i think Nifong's got a hard-on about being right, and has lost touch with the overall view of his case (which is he hasn't got one anymore).

[MrCoffee]

7. Mike Nifong needs to get the boot ASAP

either he's horrible at his job, or he charged those guys intentionally. this case was so gloriously botched by his office, he needs to be shown the door.

[Kingshakabobo]

8. What a f--king scumbag this Nifong guy is.

He knows the accusation is bullshit. He knows he can't prove rape so now he wants to save face by pressing these bullshit charges in hopes of a plea bargain.

This is the kind of shit that goes on every day in court rooms around the country. Fortunately for these kids their families have the money to put up a fight. On the other hand, their attorney may want a plea to a void the SLIGHT chance of a serious kidnapping/sexual assault charge....

Yes, the lacrosse players are most likely assholes......too bad some DUers will STILL let their hatred of "frat-boy punks" cloud their judgment in this case. For me, it's all about prosecutor misconduct, "testilying" and suborning perjury. Happens EVERY day.

[MrCoffee]

9. there's some pretty clear evidence of prosecutorial misconduct here

the DNA lab director saying that the exculpatory evidence was supressed being the smoking gun.

[cali]

11. I don't get it.

Why the hell is he still going forward with the kidnapping and sexual assault charges? He must know that he doesn't stand a chance at convicting.

[MrCoffee]

12. if she's still claiming that she was restrained/captive in some way

that could be evidence of kidnapping. the sexual assault charge, i have no idea.

the big thing is that the "victim" (i put it in quotes because, at this point, i don't think a damn thing happened to her in that house) is going to be a completely worthless witness. she's changed her story so many times that the defense attorneys will chew her to shreds.

it has the feel of a pissing contest, now, between Nifong and the media.