Duke Player Heckled in Tense Courtroom

After one of the Duke University lacrosse team member accused of raping a stripper at a team party was verbally accosted by a heckler in the courtroom, his attorney was told by the judge that there would be no speedy trial for their client.

Judge Ronald L. Stephens told Reade Seligmann's attorneys that the case was not the only one on the docket for his courtroom and the case "is not going to jump ahead of the line and be handled any differently."

Seligmann has been suspended from the university while the case is pending. His attorneys wanted the trial to be scheduled before the fall semester begins next year so that he could continue his education.

As Seligmann entered the courtroom he was heckled by a single black male in a profanity-laced tirade. The man sat silently during the formal hearing after Judge Stephens warned the audience that anyone speaking during the proceedings would be jailed for contempt.

Also at the hearing, Seligmann's attorneys requested that their expert investigator be given access to the accuser's cell phone so that they could retrieve information from it regarding any calls she made on the night of March 13, the date of the alleged rape.

"We want access to the call detail to enable us to see who she was talking to that day," attorney Kirk Osborn, told Judge Stephens. "If we don't get an expert to it who knows what he's doing, evidence in the phone can be lost."

See Also:
Judge: No Fast Track for Duke Rape Case
Duke Rape Suspect Silent in Court
Lawyer for Duke Lacrosse Player Asks for Access to Alleged Rape Victim's Cellphone
Duke Lacrosse Team Tale Has Everything But Truth

Forum:
Discuss This Case

Earlier Articles:
3rd Duke Lacrosse Team Member Indicted
New Duke DNA Results 'Not Conclusive'
Durham Police Did Not Believe Duke Accuser
Duke Players' Accuser Claimed Rape Before
Two Arrested Duke Players May Have Alibis
No DNA Match in Duke Lacrosse Scandal