Hey remember Duke Lacrosse? Sure you do. Never in your lifetime did you utter the word lacrosse until this story broke back in March.
Now the second dancer at the party and the backbone of the prosecution’s case against three Duke lacrosse players has changed her story. There have been doubts if any alleged rape occurred. The victim’s background was sketchy and all DNA evidence does not match any of the lacrosse players.
In an interview that will air on “60 Mintues” this Sunday Kim Roberts, the second dancer, no longer supports the alleged victim’s story.
“Did she give you any reason to believe that she had been assaulted?” Ed Bradley asked Roberts.
“No,” Roberts said. “She obviously wasn’t hurt, because, you know, she was fine.”
Two of the defendants said they weren’t even at the party. I believed this woman’s story even less when DNA evidence came back negative. Now her ex co-worker/friend doesn’t believe anything happened. There is nothing left to support this case. If it turns out to be a bunch of lies, there needs to be some serious punishment for the destruction left in its path.
{ 7 comments }
Look, I know this is a sensative subject and all, but what happened to innocent until proven guilty. We all need to acknowledge that there are women out there that will claim rape in return for some press and a suitcase full of cash. I know people don’t want to admit it, but it happens. The media should stop lynching these guys before anyone knows what actually happens.
Damn Brian that was a fast comment. I just posted it! Innocent until proven guilty was thrown out because of the nature of this case. Rich boys from Duke allegedly raping a black woman.
These boys, if found guilty, will always be known from this case. I hope that doesn’t scar them for life but it will follow them.
The guys will forever be remembered for the rape case whether they are found guilty or not. The fact of the matter is that even if found innocent, people out there will still believe they are guilty and treat them as such. I hate to make a reference to the OJ Simpson case, but it’s pretty clear that declared innocent by the court doesn’t mean innocent to the public.
Its hard to ever shake an accusation such as this especially because people put them on this unhuman like pedestal.
First of all, I am disgusted that a big group of men with no first hand-comprehension of such a profound subject are even commentating on such an event. Regardless, I feel it necessary to intervene.
This woman, first of all, is taking immense slack for being an exotic dancer and for sexually objectifying herself in the first place. Because of her occupation, her credibility plummets when really it has no effect on the incident. Rape is never the fault of the victim, rape is the fault of the rapist.
The alleged attackers in this case are white, rich, and male. The victim is black, a stripper (I feel it safe to assume that she is not upper-class), and female. Already there are six significant factors, no matter how irrelevant, that will probably lead to the her annihilation in a courtroom.
Furthermore, the rhetoric used in media coverage of the case is biased and in favor of the accused. Headlines tend to include the title “exotic dancer” in addition to or in place of the term “rape victim,” which is done intentionally to sway the public to the conclusion that it was her fault, that by being an exotic dancer she somehow asked for it. The headlines also tend to highlight that fact that the accused are “Duke lacrosse players,” using the ever-popular tool of juxtaposition to subliminally cause readers to compare the two points. Who sounds more reliable to you? A black stripper or a group of white athletes from a prestigious university?
As Brian said above, “we all need to acknowledge that there are women out there that will claim rape in return for some press and a suitcase full of cash.” This is interesting. The supposed victim could profit from this case, even if it is fictitious. I agree fully with that suggestion. But also, what is in it for the second dancer who went back on her story? What did she have to lose if she stuck by her friends’ side? What could she gain from changing her story? I’m not so audacious as to explicitly suggest that the Duke boys are providing the second dancer with some sort of incentive, but would it really be outside the realms of possibility?
“She obviously wasn’t hurt because, you know, she was fine.” How persuasive your tone is, dear. What conviction you have!
If you would like to contact me, my email is sophia.ulmer@myoasis.colum.edu. Thanks.
ok- as a woman who has followed this case from the beginning, i have no doubt in my mind that the “exotic dancer” has completely fabricated her story. there is no evidence which can prove that these accusations are true. when her story falls to pieces, and it will, i also hope that she will pay for ruining the repuation of these boys.
Rich boys from Duke allegedly raping a black woman.
Comments on this entry are closed.