Right now, it's only a local story. But by next week, you'll see it on Sportscenter. A horrific tale of race and class and town-gown relations.
Members of the Duke lacrosse team are under investigation for gang-raping a black stripper.
Durham police DNA-tested 46 members of the Duke men's lacrosse team Thursday afternoon in the suspected gang-rape of a woman last week.The one team member who was not required to report to the police crime lab was a black male, and the victim identified the suspects as white males.
Police think that three members were involved in the offense, which is being investigated as First Degree Forcible Rape, Robbery, Kidnapping, First Degree Sexual Offense, Hate Crimes, Felony Strangulation and Assault on a Female.
Now I'm not sure what I would say if I were the coach. But it wouldn't be this:
"All our focus is on trying to beat the [Georgetown] Hoyas now," Duke lacrosse head coach Mike Pressler said. He added that the team met Thursday for their scouting meeting. "They are very mature young men."
For the whole story, read The Chronicle, Duke's student newspaper.
A more in-depth account, including an interview with the alleged victim, can be found in The News & Observer. Including this disturbing passage:
Just moments after she and another exotic dancer started to perform, she said, men in the house started barking racial slurs. The two women, both black, stopped dancing."We started to cry," she said. "We were so scared."
Neighbor Jason Bissey saw two women arrive and, after they were in the house 20 minutes, come out. As they got into a car, men shouted, Bissey said.
"Some of them were saying things like, 'I want my money back,'" Bissey said.
He recalled the racially charged statements at least one man was yelling at the victim.
"When I was outside, one guy yelled at her, '... Thank your grandpa for my cotton shirt,'" Bissey said.
This doesn't sound like the "He-Said/She-Said" college rape story. I'm sure the alleged rapists, once identified, will assemble an impressive legal team. And the exotic dancer/prostitute angle certainly won't help the woman in court. But if what's alleged is true, preparing for the Hoyas is the least of Duke's worries.
Update: Duke forfeits two games. And this story is now on ESPN's radar.
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this makes me ashamed to be from NC.
These guys assumed they could get away with this because 1. they paid the women to dance, so it naturally follows that they own them for the time they paid for, and 2. athletes have gotten away with this kind of thing many times before.
Its about time they are called to the carpet. The coach, too, for downplaying the seriousness of the incident.
I'm sure that some, if not all, of the guys at the party know who committed this crime. Hopefully, one of them will have the balls to come forward to help this woman. At the very least, the DNA testing should do the trick.
Duke University is noted for its racist attitude. Look how they tried to cover up the hispanic girl medical mistake several years ago. These so called wholesome, rich all american white male had been during this for a along time and got away with it. The university president needs to be fired too. No telling what he is saying behind closed doors. I bet you the DNA TESTS WILL MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEAR OR COME BACK NEG. THE MONEY PROBABLY HAS ALREADY CROSS HANDS. I AM SURE IF THE GUYS WERE ALL BLACK AND THE GIRL WHITE, HEADS WOULD REALLY ROLL. A LYNCHING WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE DAY 1 OF THE INCIDENT. THE COACH SHOULD BE DIMISSED FOR BEING IGNORANT AND UNCARING. HE KNEW THESE ACTIVITIES. THE GIRL SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER TO ENTERTAIN A BUNCH OF SPOILED BRATTY WHITE GUYS. SHE IS VERY BRAVE TO COME FORWARD. I CERTAINLY HOPE JUSTICE PREVAILS FOR ALL THAT IS INVOLVED. IT TAKES YOU BACK TO THE KOBE BRYANT INCIDENT. THE MEDIA AND THE WHITE COMMUNITY TIRED TO BURY HIM. LET US SEE HAVE THIS SITUATION IS GOING TO PAN OUT. IT SADDENEDS ME THAT RACISM IS STILL SO VOLATILE IN THIS 2006 SOCIETY. WE ARE GETTING WORSE EACH AND EVERY DAY. THIS COUNTRY IS WORSE THAN THE MIDDLE EAST. WE ARE SO FULL OF HATE AND DISGUST FOR ONE ANOTHER. WE ARE OUR OWN TERRORIST. ONE MORE THOUGHT, WHITE MEN RAPED BLACK WOMEN EVERY DAY DURING SLAVERY, MAYBE THOSE LACROSSE GUYS WERE SO DRUNK THEY TRIED TO IMITATE THEIR ANCESTORS. NO JUSTICE BACK THEN, MAYBE NO JUSTICE NOW.