# Alleged Duke Rape - Your take **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 13, 2006, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499 "2006-04-13T09:35:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/1 "2006-04-13T09:35:56Z")
I imagine this willend up in GD, so might as well start it there. What do all of you think about the alleged Duke rape? I saw community members chastisng the DA for not arresting anyone. Has the victim IDed any of the assailants? I’m on the fence on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/2 "2006-04-13T10:30:52Z")
My take is that trying cases on blogs, messageboards, and in the newspapers ain’t the way to go. On either side. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/3 "2006-04-13T20:30:10Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > I imagine this willend up in GD, so might as well start it there. What do all of you think about the alleged Duke rape? Link? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/4 "2006-04-13T20:44:03Z")
My take? Sounds like IMHO to me. Anyways: My WAG is that she showed up, did her normal routine and was paid the amount agreed upon. Then the boys either wouldn’t agree to pay extra for a special showing or didn’t tip her as much as she expected. She left in a huff, got more pissed-off as time passed, and decided to mess with them by reporting: “Raaape!” Other than that, what **Mr. Moto** said. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/5 "2006-04-13T21:21:58Z")
We’ll probably never know what really happened at the party, but, apparently, lacking any physical evidence to tie the suspects to the alleged crime, I’d say it’s unlikely the DA will ever try to go to trial. If by chance some evidence should turn up, looks like the DA might go for it, as he’s clearly convinced a) there was a crime, and b) the alleged victim has proprly identified the perps. as members of the Duke lax team. I’ve seen my share of lax parties, and I wouldn’t be terribly surprised to learn there are some lax players out there knuckleheaded enough to do something like what has been alleged. That said, I got suspicious when the players’ attourney said no DNA evidence tying the players to the crime turned up. Presently, I have no strong opinion either way. Neither a real crime nor false accusations would astonish me, given the sordid nature of the event. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/6 "2006-04-13T23:28:26Z")
I think it will not come to trial. The DA has been a grandstanding idiot from day one. His behavior is inexplicable, expect perhaps in terms of pandering to the voters in an election year. > [@John Carter of Mars](#): > > Then the boys either wouldn’t agree to pay extra for a special showing or didn’t tip her as much as she expected. She left in a huff, got more pissed-off as time passed, and decided to mess with them by reporting: “Raaape!” Or maybe she was incapable of deciding anything. > [@](#): > > Updated: 7:00 p.m. ET April 13, 2006 > > DURHAM, N.C. - A woman who claims she was raped by members of Duke University’s lacrosse team was described as “just passed out drunk” by one of the first police officers to see her, according to a recording of radio traffic obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. > > The conversation between the officer and a police dispatcher took place about 1:30 a.m. March 14, about five minutes after a grocery store security guard called 911 to report a woman in the parking lot who would not get out of someone else’s car. > > The officer gave the dispatcher the police code for an intoxicated person and said the woman was unconscious. When asked whether she needed medical help, the officer said: “She’s breathing and appears to be fine. She’s not in distress. She’s just passed out drunk.” [Link.](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12289760/) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/7 "2006-04-14T00:19:57Z")
There was a thread on this yesterday, by the way. There are probably too many unknowns for this to be a good GD right now - although there’s exactly enough speculation to make it a rip-roarin’ Pit thread. When the indictments come down next week and some more evidence comes to light, there might be more to debate Greatly. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/8 "2006-04-14T00:26:42Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > There was a thread on this yesterday, by the way. There are probably too many unknowns for this to be a good GD right now - although there’s exactly enough speculation to make it a rip-roarin’ Pit thread. Man, you must be [psychic.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=366822) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/9 "2006-04-14T00:33:37Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Man, you must be [psychic.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=366822) 🙂 I hope I’m being whooshed, because otherwise my multiple contributions in the first pages of that thread were not worthy of your attention. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/10 "2006-04-14T00:36:44Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I hope I’m being whooshed, because otherwise my multiple contributions in the first pages of that thread were not worthy of your attention. 😉 No whooshing. Joshing. I make it a point to read your posts. I’ve learned a lot from them. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/11 "2006-04-14T01:55:22Z")
My take? A wild accusation which, in the absence of facts, has been blown out of proportion and into “guilty until proven innocent” mode by a media looking for an easy story, womens and “civil rights” groups looking for another chance to raise their profile, and a DA looking for votes in an election year. One that already, with no proof turning up, has damaged the careers and reputations of the players and the coach. Hey, you asked 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/12 "2006-04-14T02:58:03Z")
My take is that 99.99% of us don’t know nearly enough to be qualified to offer a take. Myself included. As is usually the case with high-profile crimes, most people have seen what they wanted to see. Feminists saw it as yet another example of privileged males thinking they have a right to sex with any woman they see, willing or not. Social misfits were quick to assume that Duke’s lacrosse players were scummy, over-macho jocks. Duke sports fans were far too quick to assume their guys were clean and the alleged victim was another lying Tawan Brawley. Me? I don’t know exactly what happened, and am not yet inclined to take unsubstantiated claims by parties for the accused or the alleged victim as gospel. What say we let local law enforcement officials do thir jobs? ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/13 "2006-04-14T13:05:57Z")
I agree 100% with **astorian**. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/14 "2006-04-14T13:50:51Z")
I have a question. Why haven’t the three accused players been identified. Why were **all** the players (except the black one) sampled for DNA? Could it be because the woman can’t identify her rapists other than that they were white? And if there is no DNA, how else can the DA identify the perps to lay specific charges? It has also been reported that most rape cases do not involve DNA. That is like most murder cases do not involve gloves. Remember O.J. ? Presumably the DA had reason to believe that DNA was deposited. If the rape involved the use of an object other that a penis such as a broom handle, then the public announcement of DNA investigation would be absolutely foolish. I’m sitting on the fence too, but as it stands the DA has an uphill battle. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/15 "2006-04-14T14:13:22Z")
I am not sure why anyone would expect this to end up in **Great Debates** since I see no legal point to discuss and no stack of opposing data to evaluate. This appears to be a request to poll the TM for their views and beliefs on an issue with few strong facts, so you will next find it in **IMHO**. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/16 "2006-04-14T17:55:27Z")
Actually, in a lot of rape cases there is no DNA for various reasons, so it isn’t a requirement for it to go to trial. The victim could have waited too long before reporting it to the police, the rapist used a condom, the rape kit was poorloy done, &c. And all she did say was that her rapist was white, but I beleive they have targeted one of the players specifically, so it’s not a free-for-all. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/17 "2006-04-14T18:01:07Z")
> [@hawksgirl](#): > > And all she did say was that her rapist was white, but I beleive they have targeted one of the players specifically, so it’s not a free-for-all. Before any suspects were identified, before any charges were filed (still waiting for that), the entire team (except the one black player) was forced to submit to DNA testing, even ones who **were no longer at the party** when it is alleged the assault took place. So, no, not a free for all. More like a bum’s rush. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/18 "2006-04-14T20:54:33Z")
I gotta’ say, the alleged victim is not what I’d call Grade A witness material. Criminal record, evidence of being physically injured prior to the party, seriously intoxicated during the party… probably doesn’t have a clear recollection of the events, and there is considerable doubt to be cast upon physical evidence upon her person. Without supporting testimony from one of the players or as yet unmentioned physical evidence, I don’t see this going to trial and resulting in a conviction. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/19 "2006-04-14T21:05:55Z")
I admit I don’t really know, but based on what’s been reported, it’s Tawana Brawley all over again. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499/20 "2006-04-14T21:38:50Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > What do all of you think about the alleged Duke rape? I haven’t raped anyone, nor have I been raped AFAIK. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alleged-duke-rape-your-take/352499.md?page=2)