“Lawyers for 46 players on the Duke Lacrosse team said DNA test results released yesterday proved that none of the players raped a woman at an off-campus party last month. The lawyers said none of the players’ DNA was found on the woman, on any of her clothing or possessions, or under artificial fingernails that were found by police.” – New York Times News Service
Look, I am probably biased in favor of the lacrosse team (it’s the coach in me), but whether or not the team is exonerated, they showed terrible judgment at that campus party. College kids are going to drink – hell, we all did that – but when they drink to excess and invite a stripper into their midst, the results were bound to get messy. The Duke Lacrosse team’s season should remain cancelled, but if the stripper invented the story, she should be prosecuted.
If the stripper made up the story, she should have to work on a rape crisis hotline, fielding calls from women who really were assulted, and maybe she'll come to understand that her lies (in the media nonetheless) just contribute to the collection of reasons why women who really were raped sometimes don't report it.
ReplyDeleteWell said , rachel.
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with Wyatt, however. If they were at a party and invited a stripper, no one would have ever known (or cared) if these false allegations didn't get charged. Therefore, they wouldn't have gotten punished. So they shouldn't get punished now the the charges have been proven basisless. . . .hmm basisless?
Rachel - If the stripper made up the story, she should burn. If she didn't, the players should burn. Simple.
ReplyDeleteDeathlok - Agreed, but hiring a stripper and raping one are two very different things. But they probably get A LOT of slack around the campus anyway. Damned jocks!
Fm - According to one of the player's lawyers, there was NO DNA evidence found on the stripper or her clothes. That's not a clearance for the team, but now the case is not a slam dunk for the prosecution, either.
With forty-six players involved, someone not in the inner-circle of the core group of the team (every team has one) will eventually snap and spill all he knows...supposing certain members of the team are guilty.
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