Duke players innocent of charges

NY Times:

All remaining charges were dropped today against three former Duke University lacrosse players who had been accused of rape more than a year ago, North Carolina’s attorney general announced, concluding a three-month investigation of a racially charged case that polarized and outraged many in the state and nation.

An independent investigation “showed clearly that there is insufficient evidence to proceed,” Roy A. Cooper, the state attorney general, said at a televised news conference. “ We believe these individuals are innocent.”

He said the accounts of the events given by the woman who made the accusations were so inconsistent that they were not credible. “She contradicts herself,” Mr. Cooper said.

“In this case, the inconsistencies were so significant and so contrary to the evidence that we have no credible evidence that an attack occurred in that house on that night,” he said.

The decision brings to an end a 13-month ordeal for the young men, two of whom were dismissed from Duke because of the charges.

David F. Evans, 24, of Annapolis, Md.; Reade W. Seligmann, 21, of Essex Falls, N.J., and Collin Finnerty, 20, of Garden City, N.Y., were initially charged with rape, sexual offense and kidnapping.

...

Joseph B. Cheshire, a lawyer for Mr. Evans, said the young men had suffered a great injustice through what he characterized as the “tremendous lies” told by the Durham County, N.C., district attorney, Michael B. Nifong.

“This is not a great day for celebration,” he said. “This is a great day for justice.”

At his news conference, Mr. Cooper said the case was an example of “a tragic rush to accuse” by Mr. Nifong, before all the evidence was collected and weighed.

“Any state in the country, including the federal government, can have a rogue prosecutor who goes out on his own and does things,” Mr. Cooper said “I think here in North Carolina we’ve solved the problem, we’ve corrected the problem, and I’ve suggested a way today that it can be done quickly”

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While the story gets some random quotes from Duke students, it omits statements from the faculty lynch mob whose rushed to judgment was as egregious as that of Nifong. Their presumption of guilt because they were "white boys" is every bit as racist as the lynchings of old over similar allegations against blacks. The Duke faculty and administration has some explaining to do before the school will regain its credibility.