Duke lacrosse: A fake Herald Sun story?

From the Merriam –Webster Online Dictionary:

Fake - Not authentic or genuine; a sham.

From today’s Durham Herald Sun, “Lawyers haggle over DNA matches”:

Semen found in the house where three Duke lacrosse players allegedly raped an exotic dancer matches the DNA of two team members, but lawyers disagree about its potential impact on the unfolding case.

The previously undisclosed matches, one involving indicted rape suspect David Evans and the other involving a player not charged, have been confirmed by several sources close to the case. (bold added)

According to the sources, semen on a towel was DNA-linked to Evans.

The towel was retrieved from a hallway at 610 N. Buchanan Blvd., where Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann are accused of raping an exotic dancer during an off-campus lacrosse party in mid-March.

The towel also contained non-semen-based DNA from someone else, the sources said.

They said the other DNA did not match the alleged rape victim or any of more than 40 Duke lacrosse players who gave bodily samples for analyses.

PREVIOUSLY UNDISCLOSED MATCHES?

Excerpt from the Apr. 11 Raleigh News & Observer, "DNA clears players, lawyers say; DA vows to continue Duke inquiry:"

They also found no DNA on the woman's clothing or belongings, players' attorneys said. The tests found DNA matches to two players, from a towel outside the bathroom and on another object, [defense attorney Joseph] Cheshire said.

One sample was from a player's semen and another was a different type of DNA, Cheshire said. He said that was to be expected in a bathroom shared by the three men who lived in the house.

PREVIOUSLY UNDISCLOSED MATCHES?

Excerpt from WRAL.Com Apr. 10 “DA Plans To Proceed With Case Despite No DNA Matches:”

Answering questions from reporters, defense attorney Joe Cheshire did say that DNA of two of the men was found on a towel and on the floor of the bathroom, but that it was not in any way related to the DNA found on the alleged victim.

"The bathroom where this DNA was found happened to be the bathroom of the two boys," Cheshire said. "And any expert and any person in the world will tell you that your DNA is in your bathroom."

Are reporter John Stevenson, editor Bob Ashely and the Herald Sun giving us a genuine story of previously undisclosed DNA matches or are they giving us a sham repackaging of material previously disclosed?

Public demand is growing for the replacement of DA Mike Nifong, whom the Herald Sun supports, with an ethical special prosecutor who'd review the indictments.

If a special prosecutor takes over, most legal experts who’ve expressed an opinion expect the prosecutor to move to dismiss the indictments because they’re based on flawed and very possibly fabricated evidence.

If the indictments are dismissed, there'll be no basis for a trial of the three students. However, Herald Sun editor Bob Ashley has said he wants “the privilege” of seeing the students on trial as do other Durham community leaders such as former school board member Jacqueline Wagstaff and Duke president Richard Brodhead.

Question: Did the Herald Sun today give us a genuine story about previously undisclosed DNA matches, or did it give us a sham repackaged "old news" story intended to prop up sagging public support for a case most people know has been nothing so much as a series of injustices?

I plan to send the story reporter, John Stevenson, and editor Bob Ashley emails asking them the question: genuine or fake? I'll include a link to this post. I'll let you know what I hear back.

I also plan to ask both of them why the story doesn't tell readers about N.C. Central University law professor Irving Joyner’s connection to the Duke lacrosse case. Here's all the Herald Sun told readers:

N.C. Central University law professor Irving Joyner also said Monday the semen evidence should not be automatically discounted.

"It would tend to support the prosecution's case," he said

But as the Apr. 19 dailyrecord.com reported:

Irving Joyner, an N.C. Central law professor, is monitoring the case as requested by the state chapter of the NAACP.

"It was important that arrests were made and more that it was explained why (additional) arrests weren't made," said Joyner, who teaches criminal law, civil rights and race and the law. The police report described the alleged victim as saying she was raped by three men. …

Joyner was in touch with state NAACP leaders. "My assessment," he said, "was that things are moving forward. We're now on track. And we'll just have to wait and see what happens next."

Editor Bob Ashley came to Durham less than two years ago. His first act was to fire scores of dedicated, honest journalists and others like them who worked at the Herald Sun.

Ashley told the community not to be concerned. “Just wait until you get to know me,” he said. "Wait until you see what I do with the paper."

Well, people in Durham have. And guess what? The paper's circulation is down more than 25% since Ashley took over, and by all reports circulation's continuing to decline.

A few closing thoughts: This morning’s story, “Lawyers haggle over DNA matches,” may help keep people like Wagstaff and Brodhead as subscribers but not too many others. And it does nothing to promote informed citizenry or justice in Durham.

Hat Tips: Anon. reader and KC Johnson