Jo’s Cafe

I live in North Carolina, so this story out of Durham is big news around here.  The story is changing daily.  Here’s the latest:

FOXNews.com - Duke Defense Lawyers Say Evidence May Give Arrested Lacrosse Players Alibis

My thoughts?  Well, first of all, I don’t think this is a race issue, or an occupational issue (”she’s a stripper!!”, or a rich vs poor issue.  This is a RAPE issue and anyone who’s trying to fit it into another mold is doing so for their own purposes.

I don’t care what color, religion, or education level this woman is.  I don’t care how many kids she has, where she goes to school, what shirt she’s wearing today, how much money she has, or what she does for a living.  I don’t care why she was at that party, what her mental/physical state was when she was there, or whether she was hurt before she got there.  I care about two things:  ONE, was she raped at that party?  TWO, if she was raped, who did it?

If she was raped, she has every right, no matter who she might be, to file a report and press charges against those who raped her.  PERIOD.  The men who raped her should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, no matter who they might be.  Her condition and status do not matter if she was raped.

Oh, and she should be allowed to press charges with privacy.  A couple of callers to my local morning talk radio show today were claiming that her name & detailed information about her should be released (”because the players names were released”.  Just because you people think she’s lying doesn’t mean she is, and just because you think she’s lying doesn’t mean she loses her privacy.

If she was not raped, AND if she filed this report under false pretenses, she should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and be liable under any civil suits those men might choose to file.  This would be not only to punish her, but to discourage anyone else who might think they can get away with telling tales.

Until we know whether these charges are true, any circumstances surrounding the alleged victim and those who have been accused are just circumstances.  They might mean something later, but to try and tie them in now is pointless.

Do I think she’s lying?  Do I think the guys “did it”?  It doesn’t matter what I think.  The legal system should determine that.  When we try to stick our little noses in there and impact the outcome, we forever damage the legal system.

Yeah, we’re gonna talk about it.  We have to.  We’re going to debate who’s telling the truth and who is lying.  That’s fine, the talk radio shows need a topic   But I am hearing a lot of people claim that the process should be changed just for this case based soley on public opinion regarding the lacrosse team and/or the woman.  I hope, for everyone’s sake, that no one in charge agrees.