Duke Lacrosse Team Story

[Bill Murphy]

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The Raleigh News & Observer published a story on Tuesday that revealed about a third of the Duke lacrosse team -- 15 players in all -- had faced previous charges that include underage alcohol possession, loud noise and public urination. Most of those charges, the story said, were resolved in deals with prosecutors that allowed the players to avoid criminal convictions. The story named names and served to galvanize critics who believe that athletes sometimes seem to function beyond the rules.


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But 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.


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The horrible question floating around in people's minds here: Did the lacrosse players make a special request for a black dancer that night? ESPN.com contacted several escort services like the one that provided the lacrosse players with two dancers. Representatives of two of the services said they typically send white dancers unless a special request is made. Were the players' actions premeditated in that respect? One of the views circulating in the community is stereotypical in its own way -- that white college frat boys, conditioned by hours of watching rap videos on television, see black women largely as objects of sexual desire.

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If Duke is a bastion of the elite, the men's lacrosse team represents an even more densely concentrated pool of privilege. The players have first names like Breck and Gibbs and Reade, and most of them attended prep schools. In fact, 26 of the 47 players come from the states of Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, which annually are among the highest-income-per-capita states.

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"The fact that the DA is out in the public saying these boys are guilty is just extraordinary," said Joseph B. Cheshire V, who represents one of the captains.

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Jeez, who's the coach of this team, Barry Switzer? Gary Barnett? 15 arrests/wrist slaps in the last year?

Nasty story. Gonna get nastier before it's over, too.

BTW I wonder how much a NC lawyer named "James B. Cheshire V" charges the parents of Conn. prep school kids named Gibbs or Reade? And won't those kids have a fun time in prison.

And speaking of money, apparently the house was owned by DukeU and leased to some players. That won't be a small civil suit....