home

Duke Lacrosse Open Thread

Comments on the last Duke thread are about to hit 500. Here's a new one to keep the conversation going.

Don't forget to bookmark TalkLeft's separate Duke page, where all the posts and comments since the beginning are on one page.

< Thursday Open Thread | Sexual Humiliation and the Iraq War >
  • Premium Ads

  • Blog Ads

  • Contribute To TalkLeft

    donate to TalkLeft


  • Display: Sort:
    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 04:35:31 PM EST
    mik, exactly. No way to tell at all. WE JUST DON'T KNOW.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 05:07:03 PM EST
    Alan, Just curious -- what makes one think "Things are a bit slow today... What the heck.... Think I'll google "digital Maoism?"

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 05:19:35 PM EST
    Yeah, Noname it's sure not what I thought it was. Things have changed a lot from the 80's I guess. It can all burn down as far as I am concerned.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#4)
    by Alan on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 05:28:16 PM EST
    SW posted:
    "Things are a bit slow today... What the heck.... Think I'll google "digital Maoism?"
    I read the essay a few weeks ago. I watched the World Cup (at least until an evil ref Nifonged the Socceroos against Italy) for joy. Stocking my head with stuff with for this thread does not come within my definition of 'joy'. The imhological definition of 'joy' may vary from general usage.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#5)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 05:28:30 PM EST
    Newport asked weezie:
    Do you have any insight in how NutFungus and Hinan could have obtained (or read) the medical report on or before March 23 when the subpoena for the report was only issued on March 21, the document wasn't printed until March 30 and wasn't picked up by Hinam until April 4, as I recall.
    The Herald Sun June 15, 2006
    Giving Nifong the benefit of the doubt, Cheshire and Bannon conceded Thursday that he might have gone to Duke Hospital and viewed the accuser's medical records before police picked them up on April 5, or someone at Duke might have taken the records to Nifong or spoken with him about them.


    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#6)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 05:40:58 PM EST
    Alan posted:
    imho cannot even get explanations for her typos right. There was no Nigerien team in the World Cup.
    It was a joke, Alan.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#7)
    by cpinva on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 05:47:45 PM EST
    Giving Nifong the benefit of the doubt, Cheshire and Bannon conceded Thursday that he might have gone to Duke Hospital and viewed the accuser's medical records before police picked them up on April 5, or someone at Duke might have taken the records to Nifong or spoken with him about them.
    again, speculation, not independently confirmed fact. it would seem there is a pattern to this case: very little confirmed fact, much speculation. i think i'll wait for the cliff's notes version.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#8)
    by Alan on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 05:55:35 PM EST
    imho concocted:
    It was a joke, Alan.
    Did I say it was not? Is there a rule that the jokes of the Great and Powerful Imho are above satire?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 05:55:38 PM EST
    Duke has evolved over the past several decades and is solidly established. The PR was a sucker punch -- Nifong was misleading the press during decision time -- but there should be no sustained impact. If the university and the trustees make some hard decisions, it could be stronger in the long run. Nifong...a name that shall live in infamy. Hey Susan Nifong, I respect your standing up for your brother and all, but he's the shame of the legal system. Can someone please explain why Alleva has not been given the "Pressler treatment"? The out-of-control team was under his watch; in a corporate environment, he'd be canned for that alone. The drunk boating incident is really disturbing. Although WE JUST DON'T KNOW, Alleva either: a) was so drunk himself that he was better off with his drunk son driving; b) had the terrible judgment, while sober, to have his drunk son in control of the boat; or c) was unaware of his son's incapacitation. Is there a "d" option that makes this acceptable?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:05:21 PM EST
    I guess Cheshire and Bannon still don't know from the additional 500 pages how NutFungus could have had the report on March 23 and they don't want to call him a liar. I would ask in open court the question and have the judge make Nifong answer it. I do have a PREDICTION: This case will be dropped or at least fast-tracked in the next several weeks and, in any event, before the next setting. Nifong knows that he cannot win a two way race against Cheek; the numbers just don't support it. Cheek will heavily carry the white Democrat vote and completely carry the Republican vote which did not even vote in the Democratic primary. Nifong can only count on carrying the black vote, but the black vote will not turn out in a high enough number to countervail the white vote. Add to this the Duke student vote (yes, they can and will vote) and Nifong knows he can't beat Cheek in November. Nifong's only hope is to drop the case before Cheek officially declares that he is running in the hope that dropping the case will keep on the sidelines, as Cheek does not appear eager to step into the DA job. Nifong will drop the case by holding a press conference saying that he believes the FA, but he can no longer continue with the case because the FA is so emotionally damaged that she no longer wants to continue the case and that he can't continue without her. Nifong will keep his job for a while until offered early retirement by the city to get rid of him. Nifong must take this action because he knows that he will not survive a Cheek challenge (after all, Cheek has never lost) and Nifong would lose the only job he has ever known. His employment prospects outside the DA's office would be entirely bleak, as the only job he could probably get would be washing dishes at Corky's with a fake mustache and wig.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#11)
    by weezie on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:07:22 PM EST
    atl52, over on the Duke Basketball Report there is some discussion of this very issue. Looking bad for the Silver Fox.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#12)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:07:51 PM EST
    SomewhatChunky posted:
    They don't mean or care about most of their points. They just like to yank you all around. This is probably the most attention either has ever received in their entire life. Isn't anonymity great? Fall for it you must (there's no news on this case), but don't treat it too seriously.
    They can't get enough of imho at Talk Left. Some commenters here show up on the campy spyware.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#13)
    by Bob In Pacifica on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:13:46 PM EST
    Does Duke offer full lacrosse scholarships for old duffers like me? I hear that they party hearty.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:14:08 PM EST
    Although I used to talk to Joe quite a bit, and I always liked him, I am afraid that Atl52 is right on this one. The boating incident was inexcusable.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#15)
    by weezie on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:21:12 PM EST
    I don't know about the scholarship Bob but you might want to consider applying for athletic director? I'd like two tickets at mid-court in Cameron if you get the job, though.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#16)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:24:57 PM EST
    Alan replied:
    Did I say it was not? Is there a rule that the jokes of the Great and Powerful Imho are above satire?
    Made you respond! You are not following orders.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#17)
    by Bob In Pacifica on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:26:17 PM EST
    Interesting prediction, Newport. I don't know enough about the demographics or voting patterns there to say either way. The only problem I see is that dropping the case before the election would be pretty transparent for everyone but the true believers. And I'm not all that sure that Cheek wouldn't stay through the election to make sure that the stake is driven through Nifong's heart. He could win, reappoint Black or some other qualified prosecutor, and then resign. With all the problems surrounding the AV I wouldn't doubt (and have predicted) that she'll turn up in some kind of institution before it's over. Being hospitalized for another breakdown would provide an out for her and protection against any later prosecution.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:43:19 PM EST
    Very interesting, Newport. Nifong lacks integrity but he knows self-preservation. Someone has to give him an "out" or at least allow him to make his own. The "Silver Fox"? Cool nickname. Another disturbing thing was his press release (paraphrased) "I had 42 stiches but was back at work the next day" -- as if that makes it ok? Disclosure: my wife and I went to Duke. At our reunion this year, our friends -- all doctors, with no time or money for Bunny Hole as undergrads -- seemed to have circled the wagons on the school. We're angry because a place we love has been dragged into the mud whether by bad judgment, increased scrutiny, or both. So it hurts to see Alleva fail to get out of his own way

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#19)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:48:40 PM EST
    So it hurts to see Alleva fail to get out of his own way
    It's the "pile on" effect. The boating accident would have been barely newsworthy, but for the lacrosse case.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#20)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 06:53:03 PM EST
    IMHO
    It's the "pile on" effect. The boating accident would have been barely newsworthy, but for the lacrosse case.
    It would have been more newsworthy than broomstick and cotton shirt remarks.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#21)
    by ding7777 on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:04:04 PM EST
    First-Year Duke Students To Get Restaurant Money
    "Duke Dining/Durham Dollars" is a pilot program that introduces new students to the community. The students will only be able to use the money for food items at restaurants near campus around Ninth Street
    .

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#22)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:05:25 PM EST
    noname posted:
    It would have been more newsworthy than broomstick and cotton shirt remarks
    No one has told us what they think the cotton shirt remark means. wumhenry has admitted not understanding it: wumhenry posted:
    Apparently Bissey, who was all ears, didn't. He didn't hesitate to report hearing the convoluted remark about thanking the grandfather for the nice cotton shirt.
    Newport quoting someone else [BIP?]:
    I've never heard that one. It sounds to me like someone wanted to hurl a racial epithet but didn't know how.
    then offering his own opinion:
    Agreed, that is the only explanation for something so bizarre. I suspect that the insult came from someone who never really was around people who knew how to throw some insults. Like you, I have been around a lot of people who have hurled racial insults (all kinds Italian, Polish, Black, Jewish, Irish, Asian, etc.) back and forth and I have never heard anything as, well, well, can't come up with the right word -- "nerdy" maybe as that one.
    Does anyone here understand the remark? Don't tell me all you Dookies/Dukies came off the waiting list? ;)

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:14:35 PM EST
    The cotton shirt remark was probably meant to imply that Kim's relatives picked cotton (most likely as slaves). Perhaps McFadden's grandfather was even their master. Now that that is cleared up, how newsworthy would these comments have been without the rape allegation? More or less than the AD of a major university getting into a boating accident with his drunk son driving? Are you piling on?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#24)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:15:18 PM EST
    Newport posted:
    No, I was one of those athletes that your buddy Starn doesn't like.
    Soccer?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:18:56 PM EST
    IMHO, I agree that it's a pile on. I guess I'm holding them to a higher standard. I always remember the story about Jackie Robinson. When he was about to desegregated major league baseball, he knew that all eyes were on him and that people were waiting for him to fail. So he acknowledged, later in life, that he knew he had to be "perfect" and act as if his every move or comment would be on the front page. I had hoped the lacrosse team would become model citizens. Then the player was pulled over for a DUI in Chapel Hill. Then JJ -- who is #1 in our hearts and lives under the microscope -- gets pulled over. They're young, they make mistakes, but at some point you have to learn from your peers. A Duke athlete is a minor celebrity and the benefits that come with it also comes with responsibility. The athletic director? He's at least 50 years old. He's supposed to be a role model. I can't fathom how he can look at himself in the mirror and say that he's the right person for the job. We need new blood. I hope that Coach K doesn't touch alcohol for the next year. All we need is to have him pulled over too. Sorry for my vent. I'm too upset about the whole thing. If I spent half this emotional energy in constructive activism, perhaps the world would be a better place.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#26)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:19:51 PM EST
    Only half-way through reading what I missed by having other issues to deal with, but . . . I CONFESS. I was denied initial entrance to Duke, was given a January admission slot. When I got there, I was freaking out, wondering how much smarter, more qualified, etc. everyone else there must be. Surprise, surprise: it was not that way. I was at a faculty/administration cocktail party (remember, the drinking age was 18 at the time) for athletes - I was not one, just dating a quarterback. I asked one of the top admissions guys about my being put on the January list. Now, granted, this was long, long ago, in a galaxy far away (meaning Mike McGee was coaching the football team and Bucky Waters the basketball team), but the admissions man I talked to explained it to me this way: "Sharon, maybe that day we had what we thought were enough caucasian, protestant girls from Florida." The admissions process for any upper tier university is not a formulaic process. The valedictorian of my son's class was turned down at Penn, yet my son and another student were accepted. For my son, the football aspect played a role, I'm sure. But the other student had lower scores and GPA than the valedictorian. There is nothing substantial between the qualifications of an immediate acceptance and a wait list. Sorry to beat a possibly dead horse, but I don't see Duke's overall profile being harmed to any degree by the "fiasco."

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:25:01 PM EST
    There you go again, Rickey.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#28)
    by Alan on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:26:01 PM EST
    imho concocted:
    Made you respond! You are not following orders!
    Yes, dear. How could I withstand the powers of the Great and Powerful Imho, Delight and Terror of the Universe, who refers to Herself in the Third Person, whose Dominions extend five thousand Blustrugs to the Extremities of the Globe; Poster of all Posters, taller than the Children of the Net; whose Feet press down to the Center, and whose Head strikes against the Sun: At whose Nod the Commenters of the Earth shake their Knees; pleasant as the Spring, comfortable as the Summer, fruitful as Autumn, dreadful as Winter?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:28:18 PM EST
    Some commenters here show up on the campy spyware.
    Could someone other than inmyhorribleopinion explain this gem? Sorry but I don't get it.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#30)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:29:11 PM EST
    Alan: We are not worthy.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#31)
    by Lora on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:32:19 PM EST
    Thank your grandpa for my nice cotton shirt? Sure, I'll step up to the plate, here we go with another Lora speculation ;-) (When I refreshed the page I saw noname summed it up nicely, but as I'd already written this I'll post it too.) It is offensive on a race/class level, is it not? Who picks cotton and who wears the nice cotton shirts? What do the cotton pickers wear? Something coarse and cheap, all they could afford, right? The comment just implies that because the speaker is who he is, a member of the privileged group, that he is entitled to something that the member of the non-privileged group can provide, but cannot afford or perhaps doesn't even deserve to have. The grandfather part could be a reminder that your entitlement is a matter of birth, and/or it could be that the grandfather who should be retired with privileges, still has to work picking cotton. The implication is that picking cotton is degrading work that is far beneath the speaker. Well with that latest speculation on a non-Duke-news day, I bid you a temporary farewell...off to vacation land for a week. If I ever get caught up on reading the posts, I'll be back. In the meantime, behave yourselves. I don't want any new commenters driven off from our dwindling ranks by silly insults and I don't want to see any more of our oldies banned. All right? Right! Later, all.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#32)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:33:56 PM EST
    Alan posted:
    Yes, dear. How could I withstand the powers of the Great and Powerful Imho, Delight and Terror of the Universe, who refers to Herself in the Third Person...
    You did it again.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#33)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:45:32 PM EST
    Mr. Precedent demanded:
    Posted by MrPrecedent July 6, 2006 10:26 AM From thinkandtype:
    Most accounts of the nails in this case describe them as the former. I've never seen anything that would indicate they were the latter
    . Do you recall WHERE or FROM WHOM you heard them described as the former?
    Ask and ye shall receive. . .

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#34)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:48:04 PM EST
    In the midst of baking a birthday cake for the boy, who will be 19 tomorrow. And I am back where I started, seeing the Duke case through the prism of my son. There are some here who seem to think that if he had chipped in his $20 for the strippers at a team party, and had been there when some crude and racially based comments were made, then if he were falsely accused of rape, then his presence alone, his complicity in the party, would make him guilty of something. If not guilty of rape then guilty of something. I still don't see how anyone who (sounding frighteningly like the Bizarro Mr. P on this) is a man, or who has a son, brother, father, uncle, nephew, or just a male friend could feel that what is happening to the Duke Three is acceptable. Would the AV's word be enough for you to put someone through what has happened to the indicted players here? Would you not mind the calumny, the release of private information about your family, the expenses of mounting a defense, the disruption of your lives? All on nothing more than one woman's word, and a "consisten with" medical report? Is that enough to justify what has been done to these young men? Even the news programs that tend to favor, at least now, the prosecution, still show their pictures, still run the video of Finnerty and Seligman in handcuffs. imho: you quoted the harmful effects on Pressler's daughter. Have you given any thought to what Seligman's younger sisters are going through? Sorry, ranting. Baking birthday cakes does that to me.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#35)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 07:56:22 PM EST
    Re: Admissions standards: The college admissions game is even more complex now than it was in Sharon's day. With the advent of US News & World Report college ranking, the Princeton Review guides, and a host of other websites and books that rank and classify the selectivity of colleges, law schools, med schools, business schools and grad programs, the pressures on an admissions staff extend far beyond the facile answer of which candidates are "superior" by most objective measures. Bear in mind that many students nowadays (especially at the top levels), with the popularity of the common application and online applications will apply to a greater number of schools than applicants in days past. Five, ten, and even as many as twenty applications are not uncommon. Admissions offices must not only choose a potention student body that is the most intelligent, diverse, cohesive, talented, athletic and service-oriented possible, it must also try to choose those students likely to accept admission. The game becomes, then, a matter of pre-emptively rejecting some students who might reject you as a school--damaging your school's rankings (to the nanopercentage) in the various guides. Thus, the wait-list kids who were offered admission are likely no less qualified than the regular, and even early admits. By committing to the wait list, they have, more than anything, shown a dedication to the school as a top choice, and assuaged worries any school rightly has about being rejected. They will likely attend Duke and thrive there. Come graduation time, nobody will care who got what kind of letter when.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#36)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:01:13 PM EST
    SharonInJax posted:
    imho: you quoted the harmful effects on Pressler's daughter. Have you given any thought to what Seligman's younger sisters are going through?
    He doesn't have any sisters.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#37)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:10:43 PM EST
    Lora: have a great get-away. My advice, upon returning and checking this site? Go in reverse order. After a few days, it's almost impossible to keep up, and usually not all that worthy of your time. Have fun, girl, and if you have to think while you're away, try to make it of something other than this case: as much as any of us feel for one side or another, it is still their fight, not ours, and if you can get away from it . . . GO. Well said, t and t, excellent description of what I have found to be true, especially these days. Just read your post again, and like it even more.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#38)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:14:51 PM EST
    Bye Lora. I took it to mean: I have generations of supremacy over you.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#39)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:19:25 PM EST
    Okay, imho. Let me rephrase: "Have you given any thought to what Seligman's younger siblings are going through?" And your distinction without a difference is meant to express . . . what? Dare I say it, dare I think it: you think the impact would be more severe on sisters than on brothers? Surely not.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#40)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:20:21 PM EST
    I took it to mean what noname took it to mean, nothing more and nothing less. It is also a really lame thing to say. Much better and more effective insults could have been done.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#41)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:21:12 PM EST
    Lora, I think you are over-thinking the cotton shirt remark. It seems like a pretty straight forward "my grand-daddy owned your grand-daddy" taunt. Offensive, yes (very), but hardly the dissertation on privilege, entitlement, and clothing quality you make it out to be.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#42)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:29:24 PM EST
    Not so serious comment: thinkandtype posted
    it (Duke) must also try to choose those students likely to accept admission
    Does that mean Duke has puts all those who can get into the Ivies, Stanford, MIT and CalTech on their wait list? :) My Shields are up. All you Dukies fire away.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#43)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:30:46 PM EST
    A more serious comment In one of the more relevnt and astute comments so far today (the bar was awfully low) Newport wrote:
    This case will be dropped or at least fast-tracked in the next several weeks and, in any event, before the next setting. Nifong knows that he cannot win a two way race against Cheek; the numbers just don't support it. Cheek will heavily carry the white Democrat vote and completely carry the Republican vote which did not even vote in the Democratic primary. Nifong can only count on carrying the black vote, but the black vote will not turn out in a high enough number to countervail the white vote. Add to this the Duke student vote (yes, they can and will vote) and Nifong knows he can't beat Cheek in November.
    Is this accurate? Any locals? If the race starts to shape up that way, Newport is right. Nifong the clueless may start to get a clue that his "stay silent until next year's trial" strategy isn't going to work. He created his opponnent through his handling of this case. No way he'll just sit there and go down in flames because of the case. But what would be his strategy at this time? Seems to me you'd have to be a local plugged into politics to know. Even then, how that all plays out might not be knowable until the fall. If Cheeks runs and is a viable candiaidte the defense might be able to influence things as well. Alas, it seems that once again politics, not legal ethics, might be the driving force in this case.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#44)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:36:13 PM EST
    Newport posted:
    the bait is in the water, trolling slowly, fishing, fishing .
    hehehehe.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#45)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:36:16 PM EST
    try this on for size somewhat. here

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#46)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:37:25 PM EST
    SharonInJax posted:
    "Have you given any thought to what Seligman's younger siblings are going through?"
    I heard his mother tell a reporter the youngest brother [14 yrs I think] started crying when he saw the video of Reade in handcuffs. You know how I think that could have been avoided. The players chose a "hide in the group" strategy. The strategy has its advantages. Reade said he was glad he was picked. Someone must have explained that his little brother.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#47)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:37:59 PM EST
    there are plenty of ivies not in Duke's league, somewhat. And they certainly aren't in Duke's league for competition in athletics. Only Stanford is.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#48)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:38:08 PM EST
    IMHO - So if the comments were not important enough to merit the attention of the public without the rape allegation, can we assume you (and others here) will stop obsessing over them if/when the rape is shown to be a hoax?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#49)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:38:12 PM EST
    Newport, please help me. I want to ignore imho. Bob in Pacifica, sensei, tell me how. I know I should. And I have, from time to time. I have been able to let it go, to see the snare before stepping into it. And then, sometimes, imho seems so nice, so lighthearted and so c'est le guerre at the same time, so human in the best sense. That's when I falter, because I fall back into thinking that I can reason with imho. And here we go again. "Fascination" isn't the word, imho, it's more like frustration. But either one, you love it. Comments like this, though:
    Without the rape allegation we all would not know what lurks in the heart of some of these young men.
    chill me if you are serious, and appall me if you are making light.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#50)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:42:28 PM EST
    The pitch is a high lob, right down the middle of the plate. Newport flexes his muscles, focuses, swings and Whap!!! He crushes it. You did see the ":)" And the "Not so serious comment" I hope.....

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#51)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:45:50 PM EST
    High lobs are hard to hit Somewhat, I suggest you research the Epheus (sp?) pitch thrown by Rip Souewl? Only the great Ted Williams, the best hitter of all time, imho, ever hit this pitch out of the park in competition.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#52)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:53:18 PM EST
    But Newport, even as I was writhing, fighting my urge to respond, imho fired another salvo. Now imho's pulling Seligman's younger brother to support her arguments? Sad. When questions about Nifong and the prosecution's case get too tough, imho resorts to the misuse and abuse of the players and their families. Sad.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#53)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:53:31 PM EST
    Here' the link Somewhat.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#54)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:54:46 PM EST
    SharonInJax posted:
    chill me if you are serious, and appall me if you are making light.
    Chill Sharon, they didn't pull that stuff out of their @sses. No American Psycho script to blame.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#55)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:55:05 PM EST
    You are WAY too nice and WAY too sincere Sharon. People like imho pray on people like you -- find the strength to swim away, look but don't take the hook.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#56)
    by Bob In Pacifica on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:55:21 PM EST
    Man, is it ever a slow news day! I would have settled for, "Yo mama," or, "Kiss my *ss," or even a simple F*** Y**," but these boys are in college and thought that they needed to show they picked up something in History 101.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#57)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:55:29 PM EST
    noname posted:
    So if the comments were not important enough to merit the attention of the public without the rape allegation, can we assume you (and others here) will stop obsessing over them if/when the rape is shown to be a hoax?
    Just because something doesn't make the papers does not mean it is does not merit attention. These guys said this stuff. It is disturbing.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#58)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 08:58:41 PM EST
    Sharon posted:
    Now imho's pulling Seligman's younger brother to support her arguments?
    Sharon, you asked me about his brother. YOU brought up his brother. I have thought about how this effected him. Maybe the the attorneys should have.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#59)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:08:55 PM EST
    Newport, The "eephus?" And I thought "digital maoism" was a stretch. Either a true baseball aficionado or an impressive display of knowledge of obscure facts -- for a Dukie :) I don't mind addressing IMHO's comments when they have some substance and relevance. My audience is never her, but the other readers of the board. Sometime, she raises key issues. However, it's been several days since any real news. All the relevant stuff has been beat to death in the interim. Hence today's drivel which I will imagine will continue until some news pops up. It's my belief that the real racists in this case are those who have tried to make it into a racial issue or platform for their own political beliefs. Calculated race-inflaming opportunistic statements in the media intended for public consumption seem far worse to me than insults hurled back and forth by both sides in the heat of an argument. Too bad several such opportunists seem to be tenured faculty members at Duke. Like you, I was appalled at the actions of the group of 88. Unfortunately, in today's "PC" world at most universities, I think similar actions would have happened elsewhere as well. While some bemoaned the loss of Dr. Houston Baker, I thought that was a win for Duke. From what I've seen the real ones to pity are the folks at Vandy where he is now headed.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#60)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:09:20 PM EST
    noname posted:
    It seems like a pretty straight forward "my grand-daddy owned your grand-daddy" taunt.
    Do you think there was a racial element to the taunt?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#61)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:22:34 PM EST
    SharonInJax posted:
    Maybe that's one good thing that could come of this debacle: many of us here who are white and even moderately privileged can and do feel for the Duke players who are just as white, and maybe even more privileged. And we, like they, see for the first time what it must have felt, easily might still feel, for a black person, who is less privileged, when the "system" takes hold of you.
    You mean O.J.?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#62)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:22:37 PM EST
    imho:
    Does anyone here understand the remark?
    Perhaps the AV's grandfather owns a haberdashery in the Durham area. Additionaly, one of the lax players was a frequent and good customer. That afternoon the lax player had gone to the shop and picked out a fine cotton buttondown to wear to the evenings festivities. Unfortunately, he was short of funds and asked the grandfather if he might pay him Tuesday for a twill today. The grandfather agreed. Upon her disengagement from the party the AV found to her distress she could not give a proper refund because she had nothing small than hundred dollar bills. Being the part time accountant for her grandfather and knowing of the lax player's tab, she offered instead to square away his account. The lax player, appreciative of this gesture, replied loudly, "thank your grandfather ...."

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#63)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:26:47 PM EST
    Newport, were you talking code to imho in that 9:45 post
    Oh, no, sorry. I was actually just throwing in that dreaded phrase in my post. Had nothing to do with the Wretched One.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#64)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:28:30 PM EST
    Posted by SharonInJax July 6, 2006 09:38 PM Newport, please help me. I want to ignore imho. Bob in Pacifica, sensei, tell me how. I know I should. And I have, from time to time. I have been able to let it go, to see the snare before stepping into it. And then, sometimes, imho seems so nice, so lighthearted and so c'est le guerre at the same time, so human in the best sense. That's when I falter, because I fall back into thinking that I can reason with imho. And here we go again. "Fascination" isn't the word, imho, it's more like frustration. But either one, you love it. Comments like this, though: Without the rape allegation we all would not know what lurks in the heart of some of these young men. chill me if you are serious, and appall me if you are making light.
    It's been a busy day for me as well, and for some reason no Duke thread came up until about 5 oclock *or at least I couldn't find one* so I couldn't post. I come back to see that Lora has went on vacation and that IMHO has a bunch of people debating college admissions procedures at Duke an elite university, MrP is up to his normal pranks -handled astutely by Newport- , and that more recently IMHO and Lora have taken the incredible rhetorical tack of insulting the players families whilst claiming the team deserves all the crap that's happened because a few of them might have made a few crude remarks. And these few apparently aren't even any of the indicted. Well to defuse that argument I'll state it here and now before everyone: I don't care if the entire Duke team consists of nothing but Future KKK Leaders of Amerikkka. I don't care if they called both strippers every single demeaning racial and sexual taunt that one could find in the lowest level locker room of the ship farthest out at sea from the land of MiosoGoKnee. I don't care if they spent all night farting and belching t o boot. The crime they are falsely accused of committing is far more serious than any of this stupid crude comment stuff. And someone who would make up a story like that is a far worse person than the lowest level, mosty scummy, non-violent racist in the lowest pit of intellectual and moral hell. There, I said it. Anyone who argues otherwise, will never hear a reply from me again, as you've shown yourself to either be stupid or have an agenda and I have little patience for either type of person. Sharon, I think this most recent thread illustrates just how cruel IMHO can be. She can be charming, once in a blue moon funny, and does occasionally have something to say- but her true colors come out in threads like this and help explain why she is still single and childless. Until we get some real news and IMHO makes another one of her occasional posts with real substance, I won't be talking with imho. I suspect soon she'll only be talking to herself or to the two or three others who occasionally come to this board who agree with her. Which means she'll either stop posting or will mostly be talking to herself. Which would be poetic justice.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#65)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:33:59 PM EST
    cib posted:
    - but her true colors come out in threads like this and help explain why she is still single and childless. Until we get some real news and IMHO makes another one of her occasional posts with real substance, I won't be talking with imho.
    Well, how is that going help with my single and childless problem?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#66)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:35:16 PM EST
    david in ct: I know this might say something horrid about me, but I am laughing my a** reading your post. The ever present Duke gentleman still lives, in your story. Did you go to Duke? I hope so.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#67)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:38:33 PM EST
    Posted by david_in_ct July 6, 2006 10:22 PM imho: Does anyone here understand the remark? Perhaps the AV's grandfather owns a haberdashery in the Durham area. Additionaly, one of the lax players was a frequent and good customer. That afternoon the lax player had gone to the shop and picked out a fine cotton buttondown to wear to the evenings festivities. Unfortunately, he was short of funds and asked the grandfather if he might pay him Tuesday for a twill today. The grandfather agreed. Upon her disengagement from the party the AV found to her distress she could not give a proper refund because she had nothing small than hundred dollar bills. Being the part time accountant for her grandfather and knowing of the lax player's tab, she offered instead to square away his account. The lax player, appreciative of this gesture, replied loudly, "thank your grandfather ...."
    Ya know, this explanation of the "thank your grandfather..." quote makes fully as much sense and has exactly the same level of probability as any of the various stories that PB, IMHO, and Lora have concocted to explain the AV and Kimmie's variously changing crimescene "recollections". Good work, Inspector.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#68)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:43:17 PM EST
    Heck, Newport, I'm not either. But think on this: I grew up with 3 older brothers and only one television. I have sports trivia imbedded so deep in my mind that even a fine time at Duke, and a good time at UF law school, has not erased them. I was just doing a stream of consciousness on the Ted Williams comment. Yes, sometimes I do "google" my mind. And me, with my poor, inferior, waiting list kind of mind . . . Got me into Cleland, though, and that was fantastic.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#69)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:44:27 PM EST
    Now in the critical, candy thermometer stage of the birthday cake icing stage. Don't laugh, it's real.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#70)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:48:53 PM EST
    Sharon:
    Did you go to Duke? I hope so.
    sorry, just a yank that dropped out of Cornell. glad to have made you smile.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#71)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:50:14 PM EST
    IMHO:
    Just because something doesn't make the papers does not mean it is does not merit attention. These guys said this stuff. It is disturbing.
    I would have to agree with this even if our level of outrage is different. IMHO:
    Do you think there was a racial element to the taunt?
    Absolutely. I think Cib summed it up pretty well in his "I don't care rant".

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#72)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 09:51:24 PM EST
    Good work, Inspector.
    bon soir, Clouseau out...

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#74)
    by Alan on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 10:42:07 PM EST
    Sharon Play this mp3 to your son, although perhaps not his birthday. It's an interesting discussion about how to deal with with the national embarrassment of Oz' Big Brother series. The expression 't*rkey-slap' has now been used in our House of Representatives. Yikes.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#75)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 10:54:11 PM EST
    January:
    I don't think they say much about anything.
    Right, we just don't know. But I expect you'll find out soon, from someone.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#76)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 11:16:20 PM EST
    Alan: haven't listened yet, but thank you in advance. The "boy" and I have a, to me, interesting dynamic working. Three older brothers, and possible genetic anomaly of too much "guy" inherently in me . . . too possible. But I was willing to admit, and did, from the beginning of my posting on this board, my "bias." As the mother of a boy who could slip without much change, into a Duke lacrosse player skin, knowing his friends and teammates here at his high school . . . I don't know that there is anyone on this board who can relate that closely to any of the key players. I can. And all it would take would be one weak, needy, damaged soul thinking she could avoid a bad thing, and it would go away, saying "I was raped." Mobilize the forces, certainly. Take every and any accusation of rape seriously. Investigate it. As frustrating as it may be, be patient. The pool of suspects are not going anywhere, not when Nifong met the media, not after. Pointless speculation, but it's late, and I'm in pre-birthday mode, so imagine this: Nifong comments as (sorry, someone did this really well earlier, but I will only reference it, unless asked for more information) should have been along the lines of, "we are investigating, and will let you know when there are developments." Anyone who still defends Nifong want to give me an answer for him saying what he did, instead of something like the above? I also, at the beginning, said and meant that I did not want the AV to be lying. I did not want Nifong to be using this case to further his political purposes. I didn't want Duke students to have done what they were accused of. I didn't want the AV to have made her accusations up. I didn't want a county States Attorney to have done what Nifong has. The granting of my first wish was cruelly negated by the denial of the next two. One of my pet wonderings: how can one support the AV and Nifong at the same time? As I see it, he has fu*ked her more than any Duke lacrosse player ever did. If he really cared about her, as some on this board do, then why did he not come to her defense? Don't give me the talking to the media ban excuse. If Nifong wanted to make his position known, he could have responded to the various defense motions. He could have done nothing more evidentiarially (is that a word?) than responding to a pleading. He could have defended and supported "his victim." Make no mistake. She is as much Nifong's victim as the Duke boys are.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#77)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 11:22:23 PM EST
    january posted:
    Imho, since you have no reliable source that anybody ever actually made these remarks, I don't think they say much about anything.
    They say something about your state of denial.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#78)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 11:24:28 PM EST
    Mr. P. re your recreation of the 4/4 session:
    She wasn't asked to pick three assailants out on 4/4, or to limit her answers to a specific window of time.
    But on 4/4 she did just that, did she not? And did not Mr. Nifong go forward on that identification and nothing else? She could not pick her assailants out in earlier attempts. The 4/4 she did. If you were a juror, and you heard that, would you not be wondering? Back to my sadly annoying rant: Mr. P: if it were you, with what we know now, you happy being identified by this AV? You support Nifong going forward charging you?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#79)
    by Alan on Thu Jul 06, 2006 at 11:41:33 PM EST
    Pittman is the only source for the remark. Interesting that she did not remember it until long after the event. It's the sort of thing you'd tend to remember, the sort of thing that would tend to stand out. If you were asked about that night, you might call the rape allegation a crock, but you'd still mention racial vilification that serious. You might even mention it when you were calling 911 and talking about racial vilification. Interesting also, that, although it was 'hollered out' the neighbour did hear it or say anything about it. The neighbour, as I recall, did hear the cotton shirt remark and say something about it. March and June are a long way apart and Pittman is on record as wanting to spin this to her own advantage. Without Pittman's email we would not know what lurks in her heart. And without Pittman's Vanity Fair interview we would not get the cotton shirt waved quite so often in this thread.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#80)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 12:11:01 AM EST
    Alan posted:
    Pittman is the only source for the remark.
    Which remark? The "N!gger" remarks? Alan posted:
    Interesting that she did not remember it until long after the event. It's the sort of thing you'd tend to remember, the sort of thing that would tend to stand out. If you were asked about that night, you might call the rape allegation a crock, but you'd still mention racial vilification that serious. You might even mention it when you were calling 911 and talking about racial vilification.
    She did, if your are talking about the "n!gger" remarks. Alan posted:
    Interesting also, that, although it was 'hollered out' the neighbour did hear it or say anything about it. The neighbour, as I recall, did hear the cotton shirt remark and say something about it.
    Bissey did not see or hear the women get in the car. What he heard was said as the car was driving down the street. Kim hasn't mentioned the "cotton shirt" remark.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#73)
    by january on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 12:13:03 AM EST
    deleted

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#81)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 12:13:04 AM EST
    Late, really late here, for me. And realizing that this case keeps me up is troublesome, for me. I cannot imagine, based upon what we have seen thus far, a conviction for any one of them. But if it were my son, charged with this evidence. I would be up there howling about constitutional issues, about simple, decent fairness. imho, pb, Mr. P, anyone who for what ever reason wants to believe the AV, if it were your son accused, would you think Nifong had enough to be sure that 1. a rape occured, and 2. he had charged the right ones? IF IT WERE your son, would it be enough for you?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#82)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 12:24:39 AM EST
    imho: Kim did not, anywhere in her first official statement say much of anything regarding racial slurs. Even if she did, find me a cite for NC law that equates racial slurs with rape. Guilty of one, guilty of the next? I know TL says we are not to question your basis, shouldn't wonder about your bias, should leave alone the reasons for your attitude, and I accept that. But I would put this to you, this way: you think that the Duke lax players had "nothing to hide" and shoud have submitted themselves to whatever Nifong/the DA asked. Why, then, are you so shy? TL lets you snipe from the bushes, but won't let the rest of us test your bias, your credibility, your frame of reference. Why do you not want to let the rest of us know something real about you?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#83)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 12:29:45 AM EST
    Sharon, these people don't care about any of the things you keep raising. They only care about trying to vilify people they don't like for whatever reason. Mostly that they are white males that supposedly have rich parents. They make attractive targets to the imho's and Mr. P's of the world along with the gang of 88. These people have their own agenda which SomewhatChunky so eloquently wrote about. Let's face facts here. Thank God they don't have a case against the boys, you can imagine what they would be saying if there was any evidence to suggest someone might have raped the FA.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#84)
    by Alan on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 02:14:40 AM EST
    MrP posted:
    You don't think she discredited herself by initially claiming that she had never met the Accuser before giving her a ride to safety after randomly driving by and hearing the racial slurs?
    You'd best not question Pittman's account. If Pittman's account disappears, then there's no 'N*gger! N*gger! N*gger!' and that would subject you to the Wrath of Imho.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#85)
    by Alan on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 02:26:37 AM EST
    Actually, during Pittman's driveby 911 call (mp3) she does say 'they called us "n*ggers"' She has one guy hollwering it. That's quite different from the more dramatic remembrance she'd developed for Vanity Fair. This call is the one where she's simultaneously driving by, walking by, and sitting in front of 610 Buchanan St with her black girlfriend. Myself, if I copped threatening remarks I would not pull up. Is the black girlfriend the AV or one of the third and fourth dancers? We just don't know.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#86)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 03:34:40 AM EST
    SharonInJax correctly characterized another poster's attitude thus: you think that the Duke lax players had "nothing to hide" and shoud have submitted themselves to whatever Nifong/the DA asked. It should be clear by now that it would have been suicidal for the players to "cooperate" with Nifong. He clearly never intended that the accuser's reliability should be tested by an honest line-up. Her only chance to discredit herself during the ID procedure was by including in her picks (as she in the event did) one or more players with good alibis. If Nifong had been able to put together a more accurate list of who was at the party than the captains' hastily-compiled recollections, and especially if he had been able to piece together a list of who was there WHEN, he would have excluded from the line-up those not present at whatever time he was taking as crucial. Meanwhile, here is an interesting item: "Earlier this year, community leaders tried to broker a truce among rival street gangs. But the rape investigation involving the Duke University lacrosse team has preoccupied Durham police in recent months, and the truce fell apart." Also, it has been reported that Nifong has by now arrested all the witnesses associated with Precious: ex-husband, boy-friend, drivers, missing only the father of her children. We can expect Kim-like "improvements" of their initial statements.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#87)
    by Alan on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 04:04:04 AM EST
    MrP posted:
    The Defense only gave Dan Abrams 1200 or so pages of evidence, which we know is not all that they have received. To my knowledge, he did not mention whether he was allowed to view the videotapes and photos, or if he was, what they showed.
    Filan and Abrams said:
    DAN ABRAMS, MSNBC GENERAL MANAGER: Well, Susan, it's good to be back on the program. I've got to say, we hear so many times on this program again and again, we talk about this case, well, we don't know everything...
    FILAN: Right
    .
    ABRAMS: ... well, we haven't seen all the discovery. Well now I've seen them all. It's all numbered. Every page is numbered of the discovery. I've seen it all now everything that the D.A. handed over to the defense team, and this case is even weaker than I originally thought.
    Confirmation bias is a wonderful thing.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#88)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 05:23:34 AM EST
    Posted by Newport July 7, 2006 02:11 AM Mr. P, what part of this do you not get through your thick numbskull head: The 4/4 procedure was a lineup because the FA identified her alleged attackers (all 4 of them) during this procedure.
    Why are you bothering to even talk with someone who is so apparently clueless and often unpleasant that they fit the classic definition of a troll. You'd be better off talking to IMHO. At least she occasionally brings something to the table besides roadkill. It's slow news for this case right now. So? Why not do some more research into the local political climate down there in sunny NC. It seems the deeper you look, the deeper you are buried in s**t. Anyway, that's what I'll be doing with my time.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#89)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 06:58:32 AM EST
    Relax Mr. P. 10 out of the last 11 posts are yours.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#90)
    by wumhenry on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 07:55:14 AM EST
    Yesterday IMHO challenged anyone to cite any ethical rule that Nifong violated. Here's a link, IMHO, read it and see for yourself:

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#91)
    by wumhenry on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 07:56:18 AM EST
    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#92)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 08:27:44 AM EST
    Oh my gosh! It just occurred to me WHY there were six lineups and WHY the one on 4/4 was set up like it was -- the accuser must have been shown players AND legitimate foils in the five previous lineups, but she KEPT PICKING THE FOILS! The only hope the Durham PD/DAs office had was to set her up so she would NOT be able to pick any foils. Man, this is pathetic. Newport, I hope you're right about Nifong either dropping or speeding up the case in advance of the November election. Unfortunately, I think he's deluded enough to think those actions will be enough to assuage the doubts (and anger?) of the public that pays his salary.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#93)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 08:35:44 AM EST
    Mik, that is almost certainly what happened. Don't look for the lineup to be thrown out anytime soon though. The law on suppression isn't very favorable to the accused.
    Posted by Newport July 5, 2006 01:25 PM The DPD had no suspects other than all 46 members of the LAX team because the FA provided no description of her attackers other than "white boys." A rather interesting question arises, however, when one considers that the DPD did actually have three suspects given the FA's providing the attackers names to the police. The FA claimed that Bret, Matt and Dan/Adam raped her. It would seem to me that the appropriate way to proceed would be to do exactly as TL points out above with pictures of the three "suspects" and 5-8 fillers for each mug shot. I suspect this may have happened in the early lineups but no hits were registered. Thus, the opening up of the suspect list on the April 4 lineup to include all 46 members of the team relying on the false name theory, and pin the tail on the Dukie that followed.


    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#94)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 08:38:56 AM EST
    Alhough, in my very limited search of crim cases involving challenged lineups or photo arrays, I have not been able to locate one where only suspects were presented to the witness during a viewing session. I don't know that any police department has ever tried what Nifong and the DPD did here where only suspects and no fillers were used. We may very well have a case of first impression.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#95)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 08:46:40 AM EST
    I believe Nifong is indeed deluded to some extent. He is, however, primarily motivated by survival, the most basic of human instincts at this point. This is not unsimilar to the instincts displayed by the FA during the early morning hours of March 14th. Strange bedfellows the FA and Nifong. Whether Nifong's inate survival instinct overcomes his self-imposed delusion remains to be seen.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#96)
    by wumhenry on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 08:56:19 AM EST
    Newport wrote:
    I don't know that any police department has ever tried what Nifong and the DPD did here where only suspects and no fillers were used.
    AND where the police interviewer minimized the possibility that she might pick a player who (unbeknown to the PD) could put together an airtight alibi by coaching the accuser to concentrate, in the first place, on identifying those whose faces she remembered having seen at the scene. The procedure is even more egregious if, as you surmise, she'd previously identified one or more "fillers" in the earlier photo lineups.

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#97)
    by wumhenry on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 08:58:50 AM EST
    Was a transcript of the earlier lineup sessions included in the discovery documents?

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#98)
    by inmyhumbleopinion on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 09:21:59 AM EST
    Mr.Precedent asked Sharon:
    What use would someone who has NOT been CHARGED with a crime (i.e. the rest of the lacrosse team) have for a guarantee of a speedy trial?
    Exactly. Do all of the members of the lacrosse team have the rights of "the accused?" Why are the unindicted players wasting the defense fund on attorneys? Don't they have the right to an attorney provided by the state? Oh Yeah.......

    Re: Duke Lacrosse Open Thread (none / 0) (#99)
    by wumhenry on Fri Jul 07, 2006 at 09:29:02 AM EST
    MrP:
    Would you suggest that lineups be conducted with the presupposition that a crime did NOT occur, or that a potential suspect is NOT among the photos presented instead?
    Easy question! Of course not.
    [the police investigator] attempted to minimize the possibility of a misstep by coaching the AV to concentrate, in the first place, on identifying those whose faces she remembered having seen at the party.
    Since the stated purpose was to determine who she remembered seeing at the party, what is the problem with encouraging her to concentrate on that?
    Let me turn it around and put a question to you: what legitimate purpose could have been served by giving her that instruction? If the AV really was raped by three of the players there was no danger she'd finger someone who wasn't present. If she was lying, however, her choice of three alleged perps would be essentially arbitrary. If the interrogator had not tipped her off, she might have assumed that all of those whose pictures