2006 Duke University lacrosse case
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The 2006 Duke University lacrosse case was a scandal that started in March 2006 when Crystal Gail Mangum, an African American stripper and escort, falsely accused three white members of Duke University's men's lacrosse team of raping, beating, and sodomizing her at a party held at the residence of two of the team's captains in Durham, North Carolina].
Amid the allegations, Duke University suspended the lacrosse team for two games on March 28, 2006. On April 5, 2006, as the controversy continued to grow, Duke's lacrosse coach Mike Pressler was forced to resign and Duke President Richard Brodhead cancelled the remainder of the 2006 season.
Two of the team's members -- Reade Seligmann of Essex Fells, New Jersey and Collin Finnerty of Garden City, New York—were charged with first-degree forcible rape, first-degree sexual offense, and kidnapping on April 17, 2006.[1] David Evans of Bethesda, Maryland was indicted on the same charges on May 15, 2006.[2]
The initial prosecutor for the case was now-resigned Durham County, North Carolina District Attorney Mike Nifong, who withdrew from the case in January 2007, after the North Carolina State bar filed ethics charges against him based on his actions in prosecuting this case.[3] Nifong had originally responded to the charges by saying the defense was engaged in a smear campaign against him.[4] On April 12, 2007, however, he issued a statement, "To the extent that I made judgments that ultimately proved to be incorrect, I apologize to the three students that were wrongly accused." On June 15, 2007, Nifong apologized to the Duke families during his ethics committee hearing, and declared his intent to resign as district attorney.[5] Nifong was ordered disbarred on June 16, 2007 after the bar's three-member disciplinary panel unanimously found him guilty of fraud, dishonesty, deceit or misrepresentation; of making false statements of material fact before a judge; of making false statements of material fact before bar investigators, and of lying about withholding exculpatory DNA evidence.[6]
On April 11 2007, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced that all charges against the three lacrosse players had been dropped due to "significant inconsistencies between the evidence and the various accounts given by the accusing witness." Cooper went on to declare the "three individuals [...] innocent of these charges" and that the charges resulted from a "tragic rush to accuse and a failure to verify serious allegations" by a rogue prosecutor.[7] In the same interview, Cooper offered no explanation of the woman’s motive or mental health. However, he said that no criminal charges will be brought against her because she "may actually believe" the many different stories she told.
The case drew national attention and highlighted racial tensions within the Durham, North Carolina area.[8]
[edit] References
- ↑ "Two Duke players indicted by grand jury". NBCSports.com news services. 17 April 2006, accessed 20 June, 2007
- ↑ Beard, Aaron. "3rd Member of Duke Lacrosse Team Indicted". Associated Press. 15 May 2006, accessed 1 June, 2007
- ↑ N.C. bar files ethics charges against Duke lacrosse prosecutor. Associated Press. 28 December 2006.
- ↑ As Duke rape case unravels, D.A.'s judgment questioned: Defense describes him as willing to skirt law for conviction. San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ Embattled Nifong Says He'll Resign. WRAL.com
- ↑ Duke DA Ordered Disbarred Over Ethical Lapses
- ↑
- ↑ "Report: All Charges Against Duke Lacrosse Players to Be Dropped Soon". 23 March 2007. Retrieved on 18 May 2007.
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