Monday, May 15, 2006

Raleigh N&O ignores Duke DNA link to boyfriend

Friday, May 12, defense attorneys for Duke lacrosse players held a press conference to discuss results of a 2nd round of DNA testing.

The Associated Press' report of the conference included
:

Attorney Joseph Cheshire, who represents a team captain who has not been charged, said the tests showed genetic material from a "single male source" was found on a vaginal swab taken from the accuser, but that material did not match any of the players.

"In other words, it appears this woman had sex with a male," said Cheshire, who spoke at a news conference with other defense attorneys in the case. "It also appears with certainty it wasn't a Duke lacrosse player."
Cheshire said the male was named in the report and was "known to the Durham police." He declined to name him but the next day ABC News identified him as the accuser’s boyfriend. ("Duke Lacrosse DNA:
Mystery Man Revealed"
)

So how did the Raleigh News & Observer, which has come under heavy reader criticism for its inflammatory and biased reporting of the case, report these latest and very important developments?

Here are The N&O headlines for its Saturday, May 13, story:
No firm link in test 2 of DNA

One player could not be fully ruled out as a suspect, but results fall short of certain proof, defense attorneys say
"No firm link" and one player couldn't "be fully ruled out as a suspect."

What about the "vaginal swab" and "the single male source?"

The N&O's story didn't mention them until the 5th and 6th paragraphs. All other news organizations whose stories I read reported them in the first two paragraphs.

What has The N&O told readers since Saturday about the positive match and the man "known to the Durham police?"

NOTHING!

The N&O reported nothing Sunday or today about anything having to do with "vaginal swabs" or the male.

Has he been interviewed by the police, DA Nifong, or The N&O?

If he has, can The N&O tell readers what he said?

If he hasn't, why hasn't The N&O told readers why not?

Is he the male who drove the accuser to the party?

Has the accuser been asked any questions relating to the latest DNA findings?

I'm sure, folks, you all can think of many other questions The N&O should be reporting on.

Why is The N&O silent about a major development in the case?

The N&O, after all, is the newspaper that's granted PR type interviews to the anonymous accuser and some of her family members, also granting them anonymity.

The N&O has published the infamous "vigilante poster" and searched courthouse records in Durham and Orange counties looking for charges against any person whose name appeared on a Duke Men's lacrosse roster going as far back as 1999.

The N&O's exec news editor, Melanie Sill, recently told readers:
The N&O has pushed hard on the police investigation involving Duke's lacrosse team.
The N&O has certainly "pushed hard" where the lacrosse players are concerned, which is one reason some folks at the Durham courthouse refer to The N&O's reporters as "the Raleigh DAs."

But concerning the DNA vaginal match to the accuser's boyfriend, The N&O is now suddenly very soft.

Readers are owed an explanation.

I'm emailing this post to The N&O's public editor, Ted Vaden. I'll let you know what I hear back.

If you'd like to contact Vaden yourself, his phone number is: 919 836 5700.

His email: ted.vaden@newsobserver.com

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is an email I sent to the Ted and the news staff of the N&O this afternoon, on another perhaps more serious violation of community standards.

-------------------------
To the hacks and race-baiters at the N&O:

Your atrocious reporting continues unabated.

In today's report on the Evans indictment ( http://www.newsobserver.com/1185/story/439902.html ), you close with this incredibly inflammatory sentence that is at best tangential to the rape allegations and a worst an incitement.

"The accuser, a black woman who attends N. C. Central University, and a second escort service dancer, a woman of mixed African-American and Asian ancestry who was hired for the party, have said that men at the house referred to them as "niggers."

Other than being incredibly offensive (and apparently inaccurate according to both Bissey and the defense), what is wrong with this sentence as fact:

1. You do not source it, and that is a big problem. We all known that Kim Roberts said this (and many other contradictory things in her public statements), including her fraudulent call to 911. But you provide no source whatsoever that alleged victum did so.

2. More importantly, in a situation where the N&O reporting has already played such a detrimental role in fueling the racial animosity and race baiting in Durham over this case, to inject it again is pure agenda-driven hate speech.

Nothing more.

Disgraceful behavior on you or your reporter's part for doing this.

Anonymous said...

A followup:

The story on Evans' indictment has now been written(and rewritten) by over 30 different news sources across the region, state and nation.

Having read them, NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM, except the N&O, mentions as a central event the swearing contest that went on between Kim Roberts and a few Lacrosse players that night.

Why? Cuz it is tangential to the facts of today's
story.

Needless to say not a single article features the word "Niggers" , much less attempts to smear and villify Evans by connecting him with it.

Disgraceful, race-baiting.

Anonymous said...

I find it amazing that the semen identified as recent and from her boyfriend hasn't been raised as an issue in the reportage.

Has it been anybody's experience here that a raped and brutalized woman immediately has sex with her boyfriend? Are we supposed to believe this or just pretend we don't know it?

Nifong belongs in prison.

JWM said...

To dj,

I think your comment to Vaden is very apt and properly critical.

The N&O from day one has reported this story in a "rouse the mob" manner.

If Vaden responds I hope you'll share it at JinC.

To straightarrow,

Re: She may have had sex after she left the party.

Yes, but ...

She may have had sex before she want to the party.

She was a half-hour late for her "appointment," remember?

A male drove her to the party.

Who was that male? The boyfriend?

And dj, straightarrow, and just about every one of you commenting here: Where's the MSM on all of this; most especially where's The N&O which has led the media screaming pack?

Lots of interest in checking out an 18 year olds ATM withdrawal receipt but not much interest in checking a boyfriend's semen deposit.

It tells you quite a bit.

John

Anonymous said...

Prior to the party intercourse would have resulted in post party collections of DNA, wouldn't it? Or other substances if condoms were used. No mention of anything else.

Anonymous said...

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