Durham Police Raid Media Coverage

I found nothing in today’s Raleigh N&O about yesterday’s DPD SWAT team raid on a Trinity Park house occupied by Duke students.

The first news I found appeared yesterday at Liestoppers Forum very shortly after the raid.

A Duke student who lives in the house had phoned his mother and she shared details he’d given her. Other LS citizen journalists immediately began providing additional important information.

Take a look at the thread if for no other reason than to see an example of how quickly and in what detail a Web forum can report on a story.

A Chronicle story today includes an eyewitness neighbor’s account of helmeted police carrying assault weapons breaking into the house as well as quotes from VP Larry Moneta and Dean of Students Sue Wasiolek. The comment thread is worth reading.

One comment urges readers to go to LS Forum for more information on the story.

I did and found two new threads here and here filled with information.

LS Forum is all over the story. It will no doubt become the “must visit” news and opinion site for people who care about this particular story, Duke students’ safety and constitutional rights, and justice, such as it is, in Durham.

The Herald Sun buried a brief story inside its metro section. The story did include this:

According to a police search warrant, the DHL package originated out of state. Before it got to Halperin's address, the warrant stated that authorities opened the box and found 36 pounds of marijuana inside.

After that, an officer posing as a DHL deliveryman took over and transported the shipment to Halperin's apartment, the warrant indicates.

When Durham police raided the residence, they confiscated 27 pounds of marijuana and some rolling papers, according to the warrant.

No explanation was immediately available for the discrepancy between the 36- and 27-pound weights

Where’d the 9 pounds go?

Has Sgt. Gottlieb been assigned to investigate?

Just wondering.