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Posts Tagged ‘Duke Lacrosse’
March 28th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
Cautionary Tale: Duke Lacrosse Team Suspended This Day in 2006
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Six years ago today, Duke University suspended its lacrosse team following allegations of rape by stripper Crystal Mangum that were subsequently disproven.  As noted by the History Channel’s recitation, “The case raised issues of class and race because the accuser was a poor, black, single mother from the Durham area and the three lacrosse players were out-of-staters from affluent backgrounds.”  Approximately one year later, the case was dropped due to emerging evidence, and Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong was not only disbarred but also convicted of criminal contempt for lying to a judge.

Something to keep in mind as some undertake a similar emotionalized rush to judgment in another racially-charged case today.