Reasonable Doubt?
At this point it is far too early to make any judgment as to what went down the evening on march 13. The media (some more than others), the community, and the district attorney have given us a juiced up sensationalist account of what went down that evening based on the testimony of one escort, but have done little to substantiate their claims. Their irresponsibility in handling this delicate scandal is, in my opinion, an overt attempt to spark a witch-hunt in the hope of convicting the team before they even reach trial. They know they are going to need to rely on an incensed “jury of their peers” in order to convict anyone for much more than drinking and noise. Want to know why boys and girls? What happens if the DNA results have already (or do) come back negative. By the police’s own admission, the tests can be done in about 20 minutes, and were already the highest possible priority. How is it possible for the results, which were originally slated for this Monday, to now take another week hmmm…I am puzzled. They conveniently didn’t make it to the lab, right. The delay seems like a spineless attempt by the District Attorney to increase the pressure and let this escalate as a scandal before they make any move. Every day that the lacrosse team remains silent (as they logically should as possible suspects), causes more pressure and public outcry in hope they can either make someone rat or come up with enough evidence to move without DNA.
In reality, there has been very little actual evidence presented. We currently know that the DA believes three players raped and strangled one of the two dancers. The only report we have seen from the police, the search warrant obtained to enter the house on 610 Buchannon, feeds us a heartwarming tale of violent gang rape but fails to tell us what evidence (besides of course our stripper with the heart of gold) corroborates their assumptions. We have seen little information concerning how the DA and the police have reached their conclusion. For example, there has been no information released about the results of the rape kit.** We know it was performed, and we know that since then they have continued to investigate the alleged crimes, but no specific information regarding the examination has been cited other than a reference on espn.com (and apparently the herald sun?) obtained from the DNA test warrant (which has not been released to the public?). If this girl went to the hospital shortly after the rape, there is a medical report that documents the condition she was in at the time and medical evidence of forced intercourse. The powers at be have cleverly led us to believe that during this invasive process the examiners encountered DNA. However, the police and the DA have been suspiciously vague about their findings and have not ventured beyond insinuating that DNA was found in/on the alleged victim. Because of the sweeping DNA tests, we have been tricked into believing that something was actually found in/on the girl. Making any such assumption would be entirely presumptuous.
Now lets move on to the 9-11 call. This new tidbit of information has added a new twist to the turn of events we can verify occurred early morning on the 14th,. According to the tape released, the victim did not call the police. Instead, it was a bystander at the Kroger who saw the woman inside her car apparently drunk and upset. And if any of you didn’t catch it, the cops were called on her. The only conclusion we gain from this phone call is that the alleged victim was visibly intoxicated, and as of 1:22 AM the cops on their way to check on her “misbehavior.” This means, the rape allegation only surfaced after police had arrived to check on the apparently dysfunctional and intoxicated Durham escort. Interesting…and what substances was she on, well we will find out as soon as we see the report from the hospital. More importantly, does anyone want to venture a guess as to what happens when Durham police find a fucked up escort acting belligerently? Oh that’s right they get taken to jail. Hmmm…a motive for lying?
We know 2 escorts were hired two come “perform” for the party. I want to specify ESCORTS, read the paper the woman admits herself that she usually does “one on one dates,” obviously sex is never solicited. You will not find documented evidence that supports me here, but if you’ve ever dealt with hiring girls to work a party there are some generally accepted practices. First, when you are dealing with entertainers of this sort, you can buy pretty much anything. Generally, for any female stripper (non escort) that does house-calls you can always buy a toy show (where the dancer masturbates with toys in front of the men), candle show (same sorta bullshit except now there’s usually a guy involved that will get a nice hot wax treatment), and unlike in a club “touching” is mostly acceptable during lap dances. Usually you can buy sex as well, but its going to cost you more with strippers because they don’t technically sell that. Escorts on the other hand, is a fancy term for prostitutes who are intelligent enough to take advantage a loophole in our legal system. As far as an escort service (or legal pimp) is concerned, customers simply buy the company of the woman. Beyond that, its between you and the escort as to what you want to buy. She will tell you what “services” she will provide and at what price. Depending on the escort, pretty much any sexual act can be for sale. The limits vary from girl to girl, but if anyone goes on “one on one dates” with an escort it is a fair assumption that something more than her presence will be purchased. So please WRAL and company, drop this stripper with a heart of gold bullshit, we don’t even know her name yet but we should go ahead and take your word that she is just trying to make it for her family. Maybe she is, and I personally do not see anything wrong with what this woman does for a living, life is hard, especially in Durham. You do what you have to do to get by. Rape is rape, and even prostitutes have the right of consent. However, when you accept money for sexual action, you start to blur your own line between rape and prostitution.
This is not an argument that the team is innocent or that a rape did not occur. My point is that with the information we currently have, rushing to any conclusion regarding the alleged crime would be presumptuous. Maybe I am crazy, but there is a legal process for a reason, and allegations must be looked at for no more than what they are. The way the community is already playing judge and jury is unfortunate but expected. The presumptuousness of my fellow students is sad, we are supposed to be smarter than that. Maybe we are too smart, we know controversy shames the school’s and ultimately our own individual reputations. Some are feeling real bold now speaking out because they feel we need to tell the country we do not accept this, but will they have the balls to apologize to each player if the allegations are proven false? Rape is a part of a larger violation of a person's personal legal rights, something we are currently denying the 46 members of our lacrosse team. The world is not black and white, and neither is this incident. I am disappointed by the lack of unbiased judgment exhibited by my peers. It’s a game of he said vs. she said, and until we get the forensics back it would be silly for us to rush to any conclusions. No one is going anywhere, and if proof is found the boys will be here awaiting their arrest. According to the team there is nothing to tell with regards to a rape, and since all of them are suspects, talking could only hurt them. Get off their backs until we have all the evidence. They will still be here when we do, and then we can start talking about cracking their solidarity.
Oh I almost forgot. Fuck you Mr. Nifong (Mr. I want to be re-elected and bashing Duke is quite the hit these days with the triangle voters), fuck you Durham, and fuck you to anyone who has already convicted the team in their heads. Right now, I need more evidence. By the way, President Broadhead is the man, standing strong once again.
I hate Durham.
-yours truly
Ps. Those scenes in around campus the last couple days were pathetic. Wait a week, and then start telling the workers at Alpine not to serve laxers, ok honey. I know you get all worked up about this shit and take it real personally, but there is no use burning bridges until the whole story comes to light.
***so at about 12:55 this morning espn.com reported this: “according to the court order that was required to execute DNA testing, medical records "revealed the victim had signs, symptoms and injuries consistent with being raped and sexually assaulted vaginally and anally." The dancer was examined by a forensic sexual assault nurse.”
- like I said the report exists and we need to see it all
From the Thursday morning news and observer: http://www.newsobserver.com/1185/story/423471.html
In reality, there has been very little actual evidence presented. We currently know that the DA believes three players raped and strangled one of the two dancers. The only report we have seen from the police, the search warrant obtained to enter the house on 610 Buchannon, feeds us a heartwarming tale of violent gang rape but fails to tell us what evidence (besides of course our stripper with the heart of gold) corroborates their assumptions. We have seen little information concerning how the DA and the police have reached their conclusion. For example, there has been no information released about the results of the rape kit.** We know it was performed, and we know that since then they have continued to investigate the alleged crimes, but no specific information regarding the examination has been cited other than a reference on espn.com (and apparently the herald sun?) obtained from the DNA test warrant (which has not been released to the public?). If this girl went to the hospital shortly after the rape, there is a medical report that documents the condition she was in at the time and medical evidence of forced intercourse. The powers at be have cleverly led us to believe that during this invasive process the examiners encountered DNA. However, the police and the DA have been suspiciously vague about their findings and have not ventured beyond insinuating that DNA was found in/on the alleged victim. Because of the sweeping DNA tests, we have been tricked into believing that something was actually found in/on the girl. Making any such assumption would be entirely presumptuous.
Now lets move on to the 9-11 call. This new tidbit of information has added a new twist to the turn of events we can verify occurred early morning on the 14th,. According to the tape released, the victim did not call the police. Instead, it was a bystander at the Kroger who saw the woman inside her car apparently drunk and upset. And if any of you didn’t catch it, the cops were called on her. The only conclusion we gain from this phone call is that the alleged victim was visibly intoxicated, and as of 1:22 AM the cops on their way to check on her “misbehavior.” This means, the rape allegation only surfaced after police had arrived to check on the apparently dysfunctional and intoxicated Durham escort. Interesting…and what substances was she on, well we will find out as soon as we see the report from the hospital. More importantly, does anyone want to venture a guess as to what happens when Durham police find a fucked up escort acting belligerently? Oh that’s right they get taken to jail. Hmmm…a motive for lying?
We know 2 escorts were hired two come “perform” for the party. I want to specify ESCORTS, read the paper the woman admits herself that she usually does “one on one dates,” obviously sex is never solicited. You will not find documented evidence that supports me here, but if you’ve ever dealt with hiring girls to work a party there are some generally accepted practices. First, when you are dealing with entertainers of this sort, you can buy pretty much anything. Generally, for any female stripper (non escort) that does house-calls you can always buy a toy show (where the dancer masturbates with toys in front of the men), candle show (same sorta bullshit except now there’s usually a guy involved that will get a nice hot wax treatment), and unlike in a club “touching” is mostly acceptable during lap dances. Usually you can buy sex as well, but its going to cost you more with strippers because they don’t technically sell that. Escorts on the other hand, is a fancy term for prostitutes who are intelligent enough to take advantage a loophole in our legal system. As far as an escort service (or legal pimp) is concerned, customers simply buy the company of the woman. Beyond that, its between you and the escort as to what you want to buy. She will tell you what “services” she will provide and at what price. Depending on the escort, pretty much any sexual act can be for sale. The limits vary from girl to girl, but if anyone goes on “one on one dates” with an escort it is a fair assumption that something more than her presence will be purchased. So please WRAL and company, drop this stripper with a heart of gold bullshit, we don’t even know her name yet but we should go ahead and take your word that she is just trying to make it for her family. Maybe she is, and I personally do not see anything wrong with what this woman does for a living, life is hard, especially in Durham. You do what you have to do to get by. Rape is rape, and even prostitutes have the right of consent. However, when you accept money for sexual action, you start to blur your own line between rape and prostitution.
This is not an argument that the team is innocent or that a rape did not occur. My point is that with the information we currently have, rushing to any conclusion regarding the alleged crime would be presumptuous. Maybe I am crazy, but there is a legal process for a reason, and allegations must be looked at for no more than what they are. The way the community is already playing judge and jury is unfortunate but expected. The presumptuousness of my fellow students is sad, we are supposed to be smarter than that. Maybe we are too smart, we know controversy shames the school’s and ultimately our own individual reputations. Some are feeling real bold now speaking out because they feel we need to tell the country we do not accept this, but will they have the balls to apologize to each player if the allegations are proven false? Rape is a part of a larger violation of a person's personal legal rights, something we are currently denying the 46 members of our lacrosse team. The world is not black and white, and neither is this incident. I am disappointed by the lack of unbiased judgment exhibited by my peers. It’s a game of he said vs. she said, and until we get the forensics back it would be silly for us to rush to any conclusions. No one is going anywhere, and if proof is found the boys will be here awaiting their arrest. According to the team there is nothing to tell with regards to a rape, and since all of them are suspects, talking could only hurt them. Get off their backs until we have all the evidence. They will still be here when we do, and then we can start talking about cracking their solidarity.
Oh I almost forgot. Fuck you Mr. Nifong (Mr. I want to be re-elected and bashing Duke is quite the hit these days with the triangle voters), fuck you Durham, and fuck you to anyone who has already convicted the team in their heads. Right now, I need more evidence. By the way, President Broadhead is the man, standing strong once again.
I hate Durham.
-yours truly
Ps. Those scenes in around campus the last couple days were pathetic. Wait a week, and then start telling the workers at Alpine not to serve laxers, ok honey. I know you get all worked up about this shit and take it real personally, but there is no use burning bridges until the whole story comes to light.
***so at about 12:55 this morning espn.com reported this: “according to the court order that was required to execute DNA testing, medical records "revealed the victim had signs, symptoms and injuries consistent with being raped and sexually assaulted vaginally and anally." The dancer was examined by a forensic sexual assault nurse.”
- like I said the report exists and we need to see it all
From the Thursday morning news and observer: http://www.newsobserver.com/1185/story/423471.html