Winners of the Coveted 2007 Award for Political Incorrectness
The Duke lacrosse case represents an enduring failure of the American mainstream media. Not only did the New York Times, CNN, USA Today, and other outlets neglect their duty to provide balanced and factual coverage of the case. Worse, they became the public relations arm of a sleazy prosecutor named Michael Nifong.
As so often happens in rape cases, the media featured lurid accusations made by an anonymous victim, all the while omitting the word “alleged” and failing to offer the defendant the opportunity to present his side of the event.
In the Duke case, it was the Raleigh News and Observer that led the headlong rush to judge. Its March 25, 2006 issue featured a front-page five-column article with the headline: “Dancer Gives Details of Ordeal: A Night of Racial Slurs, Growing Fear, and, Finally, Sexual Violence.”
Media sensationalism doesn’t get much worse than that.
The Durham Herald-Sun followed suit, eventually printing more than 300 articles and 20 editorials that savaged the innocent players. Soon a lynch mob atmosphere prevailed on the patrician Duke University campus. [www.ifeminists.net/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.133 ]
So by the time the members of the Duke lacrosse team were formally charged with the gang rape of Crystal Gail Mangum, they found themselves arrayed against a powerful coalition of interest groups and leftist rabble-rousers: the office of the county prosecutor, the Durham Police Department, the media establishment, and the Duke faculty Group of 88.
Extraordinary pressure was placed on the young men to admit to the misdeed. At an early interview a policeman warned Dave Evans, “Tell us the truth or you’re going to jail for the rest of your life.” Local feminists organized a rally with signs saying, “Time to Confess.” On March 29 a “Please Come Forward” poster with mug shots of the players was posted on campus.
During mass Father Joe Vetter broadly condemned the players. When one of the player’s fathers confronted the priest over his unsaintly remarks, the Man of the Cloth shot back, “Tell them to confess first.”
At one point Michael Nifong issued this threat to the players’ defense attorney: “You tell all of your clients I will remember their lack of cooperation at sentencing. I hope you know if they didn’t do it, they are all aiders and abettors, and that carries the same punishment as rape.”
The problem was, no rape had occurred, no one had touched the woman. Even Nifong knew the charges were probably fictitious. At a secret March 27 meeting the prosecutor and his detectives reviewed the numerous evidentiary flaws with Nifong concluding, “You know we’re f*cked.”
But the May 2 primary election was still a month away and Crystal Mangum was Nifong’s ticket to electoral success. Justice would have to wait for another day.
The Duke lacrosse case was also marked by steely courage and heroism.
Ed Bradley, who aired his 60 Minutes expose on October 15 — the last before his death from leukemia – deserves high commendation for bucking the media stampede. The North Carolina State Bar must be credited for launching its investigation. And the relentless fact-finding by Stuart Taylor and KC Johnson, which culminated in their book Until Proven Innocent, is laudable.
But most of the kudos must go to the Duke lacrosse team and to the three players falsely accused of rape — men who, with dignity and grace, endured a self-possessed media spectacle for over a year.
True, hiring a deranged stripper for a team party wasn’t the shrewdest idea. And within days the team publicly apologized for its behavior. The same cannot be said, however, for the Gang of 88 members, CNN’s Nancy Grace, or for the many editors around the country who ran libelous articles about those “scummy white males.”
Throughout the episode the Duke lacrosse team hung together, cooperated with the police investigation, answered their questions honestly, volunteered to undergo DNA tests, and above all, refused to stoop to the antics of the Nifong prosecution team and his media enablers.
On May 15, 2006 team captain Dave Evans stood in front of the Durham County magistrate’s office and declared, “These allegations are lies, fabricated – fabricated, and they will be proven wrong … You have all been told some fantastic lies.”
This past April attorney general Roy Cooper vindicated Evans’ claim when he famously announced, “we believe these three individuals are innocent of these charges.”
So the 2007 Award for Political Incorrectness goes to Dave Evans, Reade Seligmann, and Collin Finnerty, three young men who refused to go quietly into the night.
| More from Carey Roberts
Stumble It!
December 27th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Remember, from the point of view of the “mainstream media” and the left-wing academic establishment, the only failure in this case was the failure to convict three innocent white kids. Guilt or innocence, truth or lies, none of that mattered to the media or the “professors.” That’s why we have not seen a single apology out of the whole lot. And the whole affair is now being quietly swept under the rug.
By the way, was Ms. Mangum ever charged with perjury? Yeah, sure, don’t hold your breath.
December 27th, 2007 at 9:47 am
I believe that it’s Carey Roberts’ intention, through writing his current blog, to attempt to ensure that the misandry wrought by Crystal Gail Mangum, Mike Nifong, Duke University’s Gang of 88, Nancy Grace, assorted feminazis and other mainstream media sources is NOT COMPLETELY “quietly swept under the rug”.
Those sorry individuals want nothing more than for the Duke lacrosse team false rape accusations to be forgotten, or remembered as simply a case of a “rogue prosecutor” instead of a symptom of America’s institutionalized misandry.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:06 am
They players did nothing wrong or foolish whatsoever in hiring a stripper for their party. That’s what strippers are for.
Duke Lacrosse was an important turning point, because it showed America how the system works, and just how small a role evidence plays in formulating opinions. Michael Nifong went a little bit further than the typical prosecutor, but not that much further.
December 27th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
What happened to the Duke boys happens each day in most police departments, state’s attorney offices, and family courts – legally innocent men falsely accused and or stripped of basic rights.
If it was a race or class injustice, then there would have been a congressional investigation. Though many believe it to be a class and or race injustice, it is mostly a gender injustice.
December 27th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
And most of the men this is done to don’t have the resources to fight it. They’re beaten down by the system.
December 27th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
..Alot of boys cave into the Klan like rape hysteria environment..
And plead guilty to a lessor charge..even if it was all a fantastic lie!!!
…I know a 19 yr. old boy going through it right now!!…The police were going to hold him in jail until his trial….But offered the scared young boy a chance to get out of the jail (immediatelly)..all he had to do has confess to something he didn’t do!!
Thats why i ask .
.Are not District attorneys protecting the interests of the state…And if so, what is the states interests in ruining young boys lives….arrogantly, and whimsically, by letting false rape accussations stand!!
I’ts insanity, and is creating some very angry young men!!!
December 27th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
http://media.www.browndailyherald.com/media/storage/paper472/news/2007/11/28/Sports/M.Lax.Jogs.To.Help.Innocent.Prisoners-3118993.shtml
December 27th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
I know the question has been raised before, but why is this woman walking…or dancing…the streets? She should be prosecuted for making false statements to the police.
After all, the accused were threatened with that very charge. Is it because she’s a woman, or black, or because no one cares?
There is an action available called an Order of Mandamus that forces a public official to perform a legal duty. Naturally a judge must issue the Order, but the fact that no one has even tried speaks volumes about the fairness of our legal system, and the willingness to look the other way when men are abused.
December 27th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
So complain about it. Write letters to officials, to newspapers, to your congressman. Get others to write letters, too.
December 27th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
“Ozark said,
I know the question has been raised before, but why is this woman walking…or dancing…the streets? She should be prosecuted for making false statements to the police.”
The mild-mannered Gnome replies: She should receive a fast-moving FMJ. ‘Tis the season to be jolly. The 88 should too. Where is John Brown? Does Harper’s Ferry still have an armoury?
December 27th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
Because in America, false rape allegations aren’t a crime. That’s the country we’re living in.
December 28th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Ole Nifong needs to be charged and spend 20 years doin hard time. Put him in jail cell with some big black MOFO and he will turn Nifong into his “bitch” That would be a perfect punishment for ole Nifong. It would send a strong message to all the ” man haters” out there , you can hate men, but YOU WILL NOT MISTREAT THEM. If you lie, you go to jail, if you make up evidence, we will charge you and if get on national television and slander them, we will sue you and will take every damn thing you own. You will either learn the concept of “innocent until proven guilty” or will give you a personalized lesson.
January 1st, 2008 at 11:43 am
Dave Evans, Reade Seligmann, and Collin Finnerty, three young men of exceptional courage and valor.