Saturday, April 14, 2007

Dave Evans Statement

Here is the text of Dave Evans' statement from Wednesday's press conference:

Thank you all for being here. Just as this saga is ending, I’d like to say we all got stuck on the elevator on the way down and never thought we’d ever make it to here, but we finally have. But I’d like to start up by thanking the Attorney General and the special prosecutors for their diligent and professional job in reviewing the case file. It’s been 395 days since this nightmare began, and finally, today it’s come to a closure. From the very beginning, many of the men, who are sitting in this room, including myself, Reade and Collin, has said that we’re innocent. And we’re just as innocent today as we were back then. Nothing has changed. Facts don’t change. And we have never wavered in our story.

I’d also like to thank all the attorneys who are at the table before I get into anything. They’ve worked tirelessly, they’ve become family, and we owe them our lives. And that’s the most I can say and I’d like to, one more time. In addition, I’ve got many other thank yous and I could never get to them all, but my parents and my sister. Lord knows I’ve put them to hell and back and their support has let me remember and stay true to who I am in the face of tremendous scrutiny, speculation, and outright fantastic lies. When things were being said about me by people who have never met me, never cared to interview me, they kept me close and this could have separated us all, but we stayed close. And we’re a stronger family because of it.

I don’t take lightly the fact that their hard work, their success and their sacrifice has allowed me to be represented by such fine lawyers. And many people across this country, across this state would not have the opportunity that we did. And this could simply have been brushed underneath the rug just as another case, and some innocent person would end up in jail for their entire life. And it’s just not right. And I thank God every day that my parents have worked as hard as they have. Thank you and hugs and kisses. I won’t do it now. I’d like to thank all the members of the university lacrosse team, Duke University men’s lacrosse team, men’s and women’s, who stuck together. We know who we are.

The greatest disservice has been done to the sport of lacrosse in this whole thing and the stereotypes just aren’t true. They saw magazines, they saw newspapers, but they’re not anything that represents us as a sport, as a school, as a university, as a team, and they are wrong. Along these lines, I’d like to thank my coach, Mike Pressler, who sacrificed everything. 16 years he spent building up a team to fall on the swords that we could continue as a team at the university he loved. And we owe him everything. And I know he’s up there. I can say, over the past year I’ve gotten to know Reade, Collin and their families very well.

And you couldn’t have find two more incredible boys, men, people don’t like us being referred to as boys, we are men and we accept responsibility for that. I could never imagine what they’ve gone through. I was indicted the day after my graduation. As difficult as that weekend was finding out on Friday before I was indicted on Monday, I reached the past of my life where I could take some time off. I still work through it, I didn’t want to have idle hands. But these boys were ripped out of school.

The team that they love, their friends, everything they’ve ever worked for, based on lies. And now they try to regain whatever they had before, a university that will support them, their education most importantly. And I can tell you they are exceptional students, exceptional athletes, and exceptional young men who are mature vastly beyond their years. And I hope that universities across this country realize that they’re a true asset. And I hope that you come to them and offer some sign of support, come to their aid. All they want to do is go to school and graduate. I had that honor. Let’s just hope that they can as well.

I’d like to say once again, and I said it a long time ago, these allegations are false. These charges were false and should never have been brought. We fully cooperated from the beginning. There was never a blue wall of silence. Look at the facts of the case and you will see that. It’s - painful to remember what we went through on those first days and it’s just a testament to all of our character that we never lodge out. We’re still very strong. If you wanna know what character is, walk around your campus and see signs with your photo all over and you wanted signs, and have people in the media relating you to Hitler and other terrible people from history when you’ve done nothing wrong. That is character, to sit there and take that. That’s the young men of the Duke University men’s lacrosse team did.

I hope that something good can come from this. And this past year, those robs from our lives, all of the - Duke University men’s lacrosse team have gone to hell and back. But I hope, and all of our sincerely hope, that it was not in vain. So first and foremost, I hope people can realize innocent people can be charged of a crime and it is up to the justice system to determine guilt or innocence, not the news, not speculators, and not people with some other agenda. That is why there’s a legal system and today the legal system has prevailed. Secondly, I hope that the state of North Carolina can address some issues that arose from our case, most notably, the grand jury procedures. They are a check on the power of the prosecutor and in this case, there are no records of what was used to secure indictments against the three of us.

We have no idea. The evidence shows that exculpatory evidence was there but we cannot go back and understand why we are indicted. There was no there there, there was no factual evidence, it was speculation and we do not know, and how can we, as a country, in the legal system, control the people who are supposed to enforce it if they can simply say whatever they wanna say, produce whatever they wanna produce, and nobody else has an opportunity to see or ever question it. And I hope that the state assembly can address that. I know that they’re addressing other issues as it relates to this. In closing, I’m excited to get on with my life. It’s been a long year. Longer that you could ever imagine. But I hope these allegations don’t come to define me.

I hope that they way that I could be remembered is sticking up for my name, for my family, and for my team, against impossible odds, impossible odds, the entire country against us. And we fought back for our names. You can never tell what life’s gonna give you, what curve balls, but you can be judged on how you handle the situations that’s brought to you. And my family and I can sleep at night knowing that I did everything that I have always been told to do. I never lied. I went in and cooperated from a day after the party and I can walk with my head held high and sleep at night knowing that I could not have done anything else to prove my innocence. And this day’s been coming for a long time. But again, I’d like to thank the professionalism of the Attorney General’s office for giving me back my life and I look forward to living it. Thank you.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

How about...
I'd like to *apologize* (rather than thank) my coach, parents, *my university*.... for involving myself in a situation that led to this debaucle and *I take responsibility" for the terrible events that my conduct unleashed?

Good advice for the others, the rest of the team partiers included, as well.

Anonymous said...

Truly sickening that these nuts are still out there.

OMG, an under age drinking party and hiring two professional strippers to strip "unleashed" a false rape accusation???

Ridiculous. There were no "terrible events" except a stripper who was too drugged up even to take her clothes off, and so crazy and venal that she falsely claimed a vicious gang rape when nothing happened except the skank lost her shoe and fell down the stairs.

Anonymous said...

To the first poster: what planet are you on. The team and Evans apologized over a year ago, before the charges, without reservation. They have repeated the apology. How many times and what does it have to do with the actions of a vindicative corrupt prosecutor.

Anonymous said...

You know, on further thought, to the first poster, you sicken me. I am so tired of reading page after page of after the fact attack on the team.

Anonymous said...

re 2:31

Isn't there some way we can block the scum bags from posting. Free speech is one thing...free screeching is something else. How about setting up a special thread and call it "idiots delight". Then these crack pots can rave away and the rest of us can ignore them.

Trinity60

Anonymous said...

re 2:31 the fact that s/he put in "my university" (ha) suggests that this may be one of the 88.

Anonymous said...

One of the best images in this sorry affair was the photo of Rae Evans standing next to her son when he spoke on the day of his arrest.

Graceful and impeccably dressed, she made a gesture of defiance against the mob, as well as support for her son, when she wore that soccer mom button with his picture on it.

But most impressive of all was the look of strength on her face as she looked at her son.

I've heard the Evans boy doesn't have the natural athleticism of Finnerty, Seligmann, or others. He still managed to be a starter, however, through hard work, determination, and blood and guts.

Its pretty obvious where he gets it from.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 2:31
I guess you can throw those stones when you are without sin, huh? But, I must ask, are you truly innocent? You didn't drink alcohol before you were twentyone? You have never imbibed to excess? you haven't driven with a bit of a load? You don't share a bowl every now and again? If you have done anything that could have resulted in a bad ending for you, you must apologize for your entry above. Weasel

Anonymous said...

Drinking beer and watching a stripper. WOW! What sins!

We would have to delare a national holiday if everybody that has done that decided to apologize at once.

That tact is the last straw for the pot bangers/group of 88/and racists.

Speaking of apologies... Let's start a list. How about the always gone Durham Chief of Police?

Anybody with half a brain would of never let his department be prostituded so a loser could win an election.

Anonymous said...

Carolyn says:

Anonymous 2:31 - you are Gang of 88 so I will not lower myself to refute your sickening attack on Dave Evans. Your Listening Statement has already made damned clear you do NOT listen - especially if what you have to listen to is based on truth, justice and reality.

Anonymous said...

To 2:31 -

What part of INNOCENT did you not understand?

Anonymous said...

The first poster, you sound like one of the Hate 88. Truly pathetic.

This brings up a question since the nuts are still out there. Shouldn't we somehow let the rest of society know that the 88 are truly defective people. What if this is forgotten and they move on to ambush and ruin the lives of others with, god forbid, false convictions.

Anonymous said...

To 2:31 -

What part of INNOCENT did you not understand?

MTU'76 said...

I wish the best for Dave Evans and and his family. They did nothing to bring this fire storm about.

Anonymous said...

2:31: The team apologized for the party long ago. But hey, don't let any actual facts interfere with the stupid point you're trying to make. Moron.

Anonymous said...

To 2:31
You must find the prospect of young men having a beer to be an excessively uncomfortable idea. You might want to contact Bob Jones University, Jerry Falwell's Liberty University or BYU to see if they have some open positions for instructors.

Anonymous said...

I come to praise Dave Evans and his character not to bury 2:31.

Anonymous said...

For those who have followed this case, the first post was seen coming. "Something happened."

I have just spent the better part of two hours disabusing commenters on another blog of just this sort of silliness. If it's not "morality" it's "privilege."

If it's not "race" it's "what about Kobe Bryant?" or, "what about the thousands of other innocent men who have accused and jailed?"

Hell, at Huffington post, they have poo-pooed those of us who would defend white men as enablers of torture and rendition at Guantanamo Bay. Seriously.

And I quote ...

" People get all excited when rich white people are falsely accused of crimes, but many of these people also support extraordinary rendition, torture, and detaining non-combatants without trials. What happened at Duke sucks. Innocent until proven guilty is part of our constitution for a reason. It should be continually present when thinking about law and justice. It's something we've left behind in the ever accelerating race to be tough on crime and the non-winnable "War On Terror!!!". Now we have an example the privileged class can relate to. Let's look closely at the case of these wrongly accused white people from Duke University and apply the lessons we learn to the law of the land, especially the land that we occupy in Cuba."

I was banned from Huffpo regarding comments I made about nimrod Marcotte.

What is that great quote about the last refuge of scoundrels?

Anonymous said...

Can anyone tell me the name of the brokerage firm that offered a job to Dave Evans before he graduated and then retracted the offer when he was indicted?

I can allocate a lot of business to brokerage firms and I shall take this information into account in going about my business.

It is payback time.

Diesel

Anonymous said...

2:31

Your comments are eerily
similar to those cretins
who bash a REAL rape victim
for "dressing provocatively"
and other such crap.
Blame the victim?
Go ahead.
Shows your type of character.

It is also clear that you
go to NCCU: you can't spell
"debacle."

And 3:41? Please do not bash
Liberty U, since you apparently
know nothing about it. I know
this much: they wouldn't throw
their athletes to the wolves
like Duke University has -
and they don't have 88 dopes who
endorse calls for the castration
of innocent men.

Bob Jones? You might have a valid point.


Mac

Anonymous said...

re 2:31

You know, after thinking about this for awhile, I think it would be a worthwhile effort to aspire to be a rich, privileged white guy (or black guy for that matter). If the alternative is to be a pseudointellectual supercilious airhead whose only way to get attention is to spout this ignorant BS, that aspiration it seems to me would be an admirable goal.

Trinity60

Anonymous said...

4:01pm
Liberty University, Bob Jones University, as well as Regent University are all subpar places for students to go who are not very smart or who have less than excellent academic records and who want to hide behind religion to keep that fact quiet.
Most who go to those schools cannot compete in the top mainstream of the world of work.
That's why they use religion as a cover.

Anonymous said...

Poster @ 2:31 is either a Duke 88 slug or a member of the H-S staff.
Ignorant ass who cannot admit the truth of the lacrosse players' INNOCENCE.

Anonymous said...

To the first poster.

So Kim, I guess your attorney has explained to you what deep Sh*t you're in and how the lawsuit is going to bankrupt your sorry ass.

Is this speaking "truth to power"?

Weasel Trolls always anonymous, because they are weasel trolls, Da Huh!

Kemp

Anonymous said...

4:50

Have you ever seen Liberty U.'s
Law School Library? (I haven't,
but I hear it's pretty phenomenal.)

Are you aware that their debate
team almost always places 1st in
national competition?

Are you in any way knowledgeable
about the University, or did
you learn about it from the
Gang of 88?

Mac

Anonymous said...

To Diesel:
JP Morgan

Anonymous said...

to 450pm
The people like you who went to Duke or support Duke who post on here insulting others who went to inferior schools or who hadnt maximized their talent at age 18 forcing them to go to schools other then Duke make me sick.

Here you have three obviously athletic and bright kids get railroaded and your own school and its leadership hangs them and their coach out to dry and yet you still manage to insult people who went to a religious school. This is frustrating because people like myself who loathe the likes of CGM and Nifong and Sharpton and the hypocritical attitudes of the people who wanted these boys fried from day one are intelligent people who are successful in business and in life, despite not getting accepted to a top tier school.

Sorry I was a little behind in mastering SATs when I was 17 and despite getting good grades and playing varsity sports, I went to a "religious" school(not one you mentioned) which was a place in NC that arrogant people like yourself might judge.

I turned out fine. 20 years later I am a successful lawyer and have built a law firm and civil practice that does quite well. Most of the smart people I know who went to law school are all professors or judges because they couldnt handle the real world of law practice that you think people who went to religious schools couldnt handle. The best lawyers I know who represent real people are the bottom of the class people who attended inferior schools. Kind of like Evans who managed to be a starter despite obviously lesser size and athletic ability then his buddies.

While I fully support the Duke three and want Nifong in jail and bankrupt, and CGM in jail and to lose her kids, I can understand that although the kids are innocent, their ties to Duke and what is the often arrogant attitudes of its students and alumni, causes people who would otherwise to be vocal in their favor to sit back and snicker and say it couldnt happen to people from a more arrogant and self serving school. Im all for the kids that can get into Duke and have the parental guidance or whatever else it took to be in that position at age 18, but with that ability should come some appreciation for what they have. Evans seems to get it. I wonder if he got it before this happened?

Humility needs to learned by many people from Duke. That would go along way toward getting them some things money and high priced lawyers cant buy. Maybe this experience will teach that lesson and it may be the administration and alumni that need the lesson even more then the students.

Anonymous said...

6:49pm
Have you ever heard of that joke of a law school at Regent University?
Really, I want to know some facts about it. I only heard that it is about a third or fourth tier law school and was only accredited in the late 1990's.
I met someone once who graduated from that school around 1998. He was a closed minded self-righteous religious type who thought if someone farted, it was a "sin".
Yet he's practicing law, if you can call it that, in a little backwater town where only about 2/3 of the population graduate from high school.
People like that make me sick because they have never worked hard enough for anything and they are ignorant.

Anonymous said...

Mac et al

I actually meant no disrespect to any of those schools or their students. I actually have no problem with any of them. Different strokes for different folks. Just because their not right for me, I have no problem if others find them appropriate for them. Maybe that makes me open minded.[g]

My point was really meant as a swipe against the transparent hypocrisy of the poster feigning horror at the "moral corruption" of Minors in Possession of an alcoholic beverage.

Anonymous said...

8:57

Thanks. You're right: there's
lots of hypocrisy to go 'round,
especially from 2:31.
I agree with you entirely.

Mark Twain had a good comment,
by the way (among many:)

"I cannot recall a single instance
where I have been irreverent,
except toward the things that
were sacred to other people."

Mac

Anonymous said...

2:31 PM should have remembered the old adage that it is better to remain silent and appear a fool, than to speak (or in this case, write) and confirm it.

Those of us who have been following this case regularly know that David Evans and other members of the LAX team did exactly as 2:31 is suggesting within a couple of days of the events of the party becoming known. It happened during the period they were giving DNA samples and otherwise cooperating with police, weeks before any indictments were ever handed down.

So 2:31's lame effort to detract from Dave Evans' statement.
will have to come up with something else.

It also goes without saying (bu I'll say it anwyway!) that Evans must have been able to avoid any classes from the likes of Lubiano, Holloway, and Davidson. He can actually put words and sentences into a statement that makes sense and is understandable. While the temptation to lash out at the people who made his life a living hell for over a year must have been just below the surface, the steady tone of his remarks was commendable.

Anonymous said...

I agree with 8:57's post:
Dave Evans is a remarkable
young man. He obviously
sees the Big Picture, and sees
that it wasn't only he and his
teammates who were libelled: it
was the entire sport of Lacrosse.

I spoke with an employee of a local
college recently, BTW, and she
said that the Lacrosse players
at her school ALWAYS opened
the door for her, and some of
the other athletes (she mentioned
baseball players) would rush to
get there ahead, and not to
even hold it open!

There is an old story about
a woman who was offended by
a man who held the door open
for her. She said:

"You're just holding the door
open for me because I'm a woman."

To which he replied:

"No, Ma'am: I'm holding
the door open for you because
I'm a gentleman!"

Dave Evans is such a gentleman
as this.

Mac