Durham Police Did Not Believe Duke Accuser

Duke University officials were slow to respond to the rape allegations facing its lacrosse team because Durham police told school officials that the accuser "kept changing her story and was not credible" and that the incident "will blow over," according to a report released by the university.

Duke campus police were told by Durham police, the day after the March 13 incident, that the accuser initially said she was raped by 20 white men, then later changed her story to say it was three men. Durham police indicated that if any charges were filed at all in the case they would be misdemeanors.

Rather than misdemeanors, two Duke lacrosse team members, Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty, were indicted on charges of rape, kidnapping and sexual assault a month after the team party where the 27-year-old stripper said she was assaulted in the bathroom. An indictment against another player may come May 15 when the grand jury meets again, the same day additional DNA test results are expected to be released.

Duke University President Richard Brodhead said the committee investigating the school's part in the situation found no evidence of a cover-up, but an "extraordinary gap" in communications. The report said school officials did not learn of the racial aspects of the allegations until March 24, 11 days after the incident.

Backlash for Other Team Members

Meanwhile, a captain of the Duke lacrosse team lost his deferred prosecution deal on unrelated alcohol and noise violations, an effort by prosecutors to put pressure on other members of the team present at the night of the party, according to some sources.

Originally, David Evans, 23, would have had his charges dropped on open container and noise violations if he paid $310 in court costs and completed 60 hours of community service. Instead Monday he was fined $100 for the violations and the conviction will go on his record.

Defense attorney Kerry Sutton told reporters after court that she found the withdrawal of Evans' deferred prosecution a bit puzzling since he had already completed the community service and paid the court costs.

"I have never had a deferred prosecution deal withdrawn after a client had met the community service and financial requirements. I've never understood that it (deferred prosecution) required perfect behavior," Sutton told the Associated Press. "I will certainly caution my clients in the future."

See Also:
Duke Report: Durham Police Downplayed Allegations
Report: Duke Reacted Too Slowly to Scandal
Duke Lacrosse Captain Pleads Guilty to Alcohol Charge

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Earlier Articles:
Duke Players' Accuser Claimed Rape Before
Two Arrested Duke Players May Have Alibis
No DNA Match in Duke Lacrosse Scandal