Posted on 04/13/2006 3:21:02 PM PDT by ghost of nixon
DURHAM, N.C. -- A woman who claims she was sexually assaulted 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 released by Durham police on Thursday and obtained 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."
The black woman, a 27-year-old dancer and college student, told police she was sexually assaulted and beaten by three white men around midnight at an off-campus party thrown by Duke's lacrosse team. The racially charged allegations have led Duke to cancel the highly ranked team's season and accept the resignation of its coach.
No charges have been filed, but district attorney Mike Nifong has said he believes a crime was committed. Attorneys for the players have said DNA tests failed to connect any players to the alleged attack, and they have urged Nifong to drop his investigation.
The radio recordings, obtained by the AP through a records request, are the first instance in which police or anyone connected with the investigation has said the woman appeared to be intoxicated.
Defense lawyers, however, have said time-stamped photographs taken by the players show that the accuser was drunk and had already suffered some injuries when she arrived at the house for the party.
The recording is consistent with "what I have seen of the photo evidence before," attorney Kerry Sutton said. Those photos, she said, showed that she was "way beyond where you would put somebody behind the wheel of a car."
The description of the woman's medical exam -- which Nifong has said is his basis for believing a rape occurred -- does not mention her being drunk. It states only that the woman's injuries and behavior were consistent with having been raped, sexually assaulted and having suffered a traumatic experience.
The woman has told police she and another dancer hired to dance at the party arrived at 11:30 p.m. March 13. The pair reportedly left the house a short time later, fearing for their safety. The accuser told police the two were coaxed back into the house with an apology, at which point they were separated. That's when she said she was dragged into a bathroom and sexually assaulted, beaten and choked for a half-hour.
At 12:53 a.m., police received a 911 call from a woman complaining that she had been called racial slurs by white men gathered outside the home where the party took place.
The defense has said it believes the second dancer at the party made that call. The 911 call from the grocery store security guard was placed at 1:22 a.m.
In it, the caller says, "Um, the problem is ... it's a lady in somebody else's car and she will not get out of their car. She's like, she's like intoxicated, drunk or something. She's, I mean, she won't get out of the car, period."
A police spokeswoman did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the radio traffic.
The case has focused intense national scrutiny on Duke and the lacrosse players and has sparked protests on the elite private university's campus and elsewhere in Durham. The school last week canceled the highly ranked team's season and coach Mike Pressler resigned after the release of a vulgar and graphic e-mail sent by a team member shortly after the alleged assault.
Several of the defense attorneys say they expect the district attorney to ask a grand jury on Monday to issue charges in connection with allegations.
"Rest up on Sunday," Sutton said.
There has been no official word, however, on whether Nifong intends to present the allegations Monday. His next opportunity would come two weeks later.
My guess is she was banging someone before the party and probably after and during too.
The officer is giving just a brief, quickie description.
He could have said "she looks like she's in shock" and been just as correct.
They hide the black player from that team...I havent heard his testimony yet...that should be interesting...if he takes care of his team mates like he should..and tells the truth...
After having worked as a bouncer in college at a couple of these joints...I am in favor of the college kids on this one
I normally did not like those little bass turds at the clubs where I worked..but the hooker-stripper-druggie-exotic dancer (whatever)...well lets just say they arent exactly known for their ability to distinguish truth from fiction...and have been known from time to time to engage in criminal enterprises and associate with known felons..
Not that this one would ...of course...
imo and limited experience
LOL!!
If the POTUS won't tell the truth before a GJ....
Why would you think this girl would?
"How stupid..." He is a Democrat. Doesn't that answer your question?:)
This just gets better and better:
More from NBC17:
This came from an interview the security guard gave the defense team:
NBC17 is reporting that the security guard said that the accuser was out of it in the car, that she appeared intoxicated but she didn't smell anything, and she said that when the police got there, it took a long time to get the girl awake enough to get her out of the car and that they finally had to pry her fingers loose from the car brake to lift her out -- yes, lift her out.
And she said the police were did not say they were going to take her to the hospital -- they said they were going to take her to the 24 hour holding tank.
I would assume the hosital took her blood. A blood test would show the level of alcohol consumption.
She showed up at the Lacrosse house at 11:30pm - already drunk according to the photos dicussed by the defense lawyers. This police call just confirms that.
I hear that she is changing her name to Tawana Brawley.
Exactly. Which is why if this goes to trial, any testimony by this officer about the plaintiff's state of intoxication will likely be inadmissable. I know I'd move to have it excluded if I were the prosecutor.
Either that, or she decided to take revenge on the frat guys because they either didn't pay what she wanted, or "dissed" her in some way
Well, get a look at this one:
Duke Lacrosse Attorney: No Sign Indictments Are Looming
Lawyer Says DA May Not Submit Case To Grand Jury Next Week
DURHAM, N.C. -- An attorney who represents dozens of players on Duke University's men's lacrosse team said Thursday he has received no signals from Durham County's prosecutor that he plans to present rape or sexual assault charges to a grand jury meeting Monday.
Robert Ekstrand said he has heard nothing from District Attorney Mike Nifong to suggest that indictments are looming, saying statements made by other defense attorneys that Nifong plans to go to the grand jury are purely speculative.
http://www.nbc17.com/news/8670715/detail.html
I won't guess which way a grand jury would go because they could easily indict on flimsy evidence. My thinking is that if she is lying to a grand jury, that is a felony. The attorneys for the males would likely push for the State Attorney's office to prosecute if it is determined that she IS lying. And if the State won't prosecute then they should go federal to defend the civil rights of the accused.
Bet you this kills off business for black strippers across the country. Oh well, I guess the white ones will benefit.
In the context, I think he meant "no need for ambulance or paramedics"
Since when is being drunk or on drugs a pass for being raped? Is is ok now to rape women who are drunk or drugged? What if the rapist(s) was the ones to get her drugged or drunk, and even if she did it on her own how does that make it not rape? Did I miss something here? Did they pass new laws lately?
She's not the POTUS. Let her lie and take her chances. Others have, and they're in prison.
She got disrespected by the guys. I'm sure that's what most of this is about. She showed up drunk and not at all what they were expecting and they started to make fun of her, call her names, etc. She wanted revenge because she got "disrespected." Some really e-mails from the students said she showed up tripped out on something.
Can anyone say "Tawana Brawley"?
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