At an open forum for the three finalists for the Police Chief job, Ron Hodge, proclaimed
What I know about the Duke lacrosse case and the need for us to rebuild in the community seems to be a perception that's portrayed by you guys in the media. ... I know that our citizens are tired of the Duke lacrosse case, our officers are not so much tired of the Duke lacrosse case, but are probably getting a little impatient with how it's being covered and played out in the media and probably more importantly how people are asking them questions about it out there in the public.No doubt Hodge--who attended meetings in which the flawed April 4 lineup was planned out--wants people to stop asking questions about the case.
And Brianne Dopart of the Herald-Sun described the following scene at the hearing:
Laughter erupted when Hodge said he didn't "recall that the Durham Police Department has been involved in something where we made major mistakes in the past five years."Meanwhile, Ray Gronberg has revealed that the Durham Rape Crisis Center has not one but two major conflicts of interest regarding an appointment to the panel investigating the police handling of the case. First, of course, the group's official position appears still to be that a rape occurred. Second, the group received more than $160,000 from the Durham Police--the very group that it will be helping to investigate.
He explained that the recently released in-house report on police handling of the lacrosse case found "some small" errors, but cautioned against rushing to judgment while the "jury remains out."
"I think in the end we'll be okay."
Does erstwhile Nifong backer Diane Catotti see a problem with these conflicts? Of course not. But then again, since her apparent goal is to use the inquiry to retry the lacrosse case, these conflicts should reassure, not alarm, her,
28 comments:
Wow...the Herald Sun is actually doing investigative journalism.
...Laughter erupted when Hodge said he didn't "recall that the Durham Police Department has been involved in something where we made major mistakes in the past five years."
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That comment brings back memories of the words from the police chiefs in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Chicago when they summarized their work to dismantle the Mafia...many years ago.
I can even remember my Grandfather erupting in laughter when the Chicago Police Chief said similar words way back in the 1970's.
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GP
There are conflicts of interest all over the place here and nobody seems to see them or care. That whole city needs some Paxil or Prozac or something
The DPD is known throughout the US as an incompetent PD.
They need a major overhaul and PR firm to help them overcome this image.
RE: Bill Anderson Article
Having illegally obtained the McFadyen email, Nifong and the police had him come downtown for a "visit" on April 5 and presented the following choice: either be willing to testify that he saw the "attackers" in the bathroom with Mangum and turn state’s evidence on the rape charges, or the authorities would release the email. One has to understand what was happening. Nifong and the police were giving him the choice either of committing perjury or being humiliated publicly.
By giving him this choice, of course, those involved were committing a felony.
1) Did Ryan have an attorney with him at the "visit"
2) Can Durham Police Investigation Committee
also answer to the handling of the Ryan "visit".
3) Weren't police given access to the computers at the Buchanan house? Isn't location and time of the "bogus email" (illegal plant) known? Isn't there a person(s) of "interest" that is likely known?
4) Could the "person of interest" be called to testify to a grand jury?
After the City of Durham pays out handsomely to settle over the forthcoming lawsuits by the lax3 and then, in turn, jacks-up taxes even higher to keep Durham financially solvent, I wonder if these folks will still be laughing? Insurance reserves--even assuming coverage exists--won't begin to cover Durham's exposure on this one.
That's when the laughter will start for me.
I don't know if they're stupid, or that they think everyone else is, to think that they can get away with such transparently false statements.
I am absolutely furious! Can someone guide me on anything that I can do -- I am a Durham native and believe me, there is another segment of Durham that hates what this City has become. We are just not loud and vocal and potbanging. The special interests in Durham and PACs referred to are relentless in their hatred - corruption is rampant in every branch of city government. I am so thankful to you KC and others who are trying to bring this corruption to light. Obviously it has been buried for years, and Durham will never change from within. I'm at a loss - it makes me sick!
Carolyn says:
Hey, just got my book "It's not about the Truth". And when I opened the first pages, there was an 'Author's Note' from Don Yeager in which he relates how he tried to speak with Brodhead. Only Brodhead refused. Why?
Because Yaeger had 'strong opinions' and had held interviews with 'opponents' of Brodhead.
You see, Brodhead only talks to the Gang of 88 and Nartey who don't have strong opinions - they just 'listen' or are 'upset'. And of course they never interview their opponents. (Hey! Screaming 'dead man walking', 'castrate' and 'remember Emmit Till' is NOT interviewing.)
Ron Hodge should not be viewed as a legitimate candidate for police chief by anyone who is interested in improving the peformance of the department. As the man-in-charge during Chalmers' prolonged absences, he is enmeshed in the Nifong Scandal Case up to his armpits. Appointing him will only continue the sorry legacy of policing that Durham has exhibited already.
Why are the citizens of Durham putting up with all of these clowns? Do they not believe their quality of life is being affected negatively by an incompetent city manager, an absentee police chief, and a mayor and city council that appear to mean well (with one exception), but can't put together an effective panel to address the shortcomings exposed by this case? There must be some residents who can walk and chew gum and the same time, but (leaving aside the fiasco of the Nifong Scandal Case itself) with all the shenanigans that have taken place SINCE THE LAX 3 WERE EXONERATED, I wouldn't bet on it.
John in Carolina has an excellent post of questions Hodge needs to answer about the statements of David Addison and his infamous CS wanted poster and email.
Hodge was effectively running the department when Addison made these false statements. He needs to answer for them.
Doesn't the DPD get it yet? The public is demanding answers about their actions and they are going to come out one way or another. They can either admit they made errors and be forthcomng now or continue to stonewall and look much much worse when the truth comes out later.
kc, give us a little more detail on the 160k...portion of the center's budget, time frame over which the payment was made, etc.
If Hodge declares that manufacturing evidence, lying to the public, suborning perjury, filing false documents, lying to a grand jury, and obstruction of justice are just "mistakes," then he is saying that criminality among the Durham police is just another "day at the office."
I find it interesting that the same police department that accused the Duke Lacrosse players of putting up a "blue wall of silence" now are enacting the True "Blue Wall of Silence." One would hope that there were at least one honest person on the Durham police force, but from what I can tell, either all of them are liars and criminals, or they simply are enablers. But not a one of them should be entrusted with enforcing any bit of the law.
So, indeed, this is a department that deserves Hodge. He is one of them, since he already knows how to lie.
Catotti, an apparent graduate of the Nifong School of Engineering, believes rigging an investigation will go unnoticed and that the results, as if on cue from the NCNAACP/Group of 88/Too Many to List actors in Central Casting for a Stephen King movie, will withstand scrutiny. These people never seem to fail to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. We are watching.
Dave in New Jersey
There seems to be a need to use a 'Big Lie" and rally behind it and continue to use it.
Well, who is going to investigate this matter?
Catotti wants a rape advocate on the panel. Wasn't taking driving Crystal to appointments, finding housing, and making sure she get financial aid enough?
What should be investigated is why government funds were used to support Crystal in her false allegations against three innocentguys!!
We need to know how much was spent on Crystal? How many government officials supported her?
The Scandal gets gets bigger & bigger! Besides Catotti, Clements, Cora Cole-McFadden. and Bell already know who was behind this Durham lynch mob!
As long experienced in political cases involving criminal activity, the cover-up can be more extensive than the crime. In this case, the crime is deliberate framing of the Duke lacrosse players or at least the the violation of their civil rights . The testimony, if it is under oath, in the Durham investigation will--if the enablers stay on the same course--be purjurious. If testimony is not under oath, it may still be legally libelous--given the continued stupidity of their public statements. Almost for sure, the actions (or lack thereof)taken by the Durham investigation will provide more fodder for the civil suits.
Hodge is probably right. Betcha Durham citizens are "tired of the Duke Lacrosse case"; it must be very fatiguing for the citizenry to be reminded again and again of the ugly stupidity of their prejudices, the clownish behavior of their spokespeople, and the contemptuous ease with which that sweet DA took them for a bunch of racist suckers.
Maybe they should all take a nap. Everything looks better after a nap.
It's not Wonderland any more. Durham is a festering boil,pus-filled, pathologic, repugnant. It resists even sunlight, the best disinfectant.
Trouble is the moral-relativistic, social justice paradigm is hardly confined to Durham. It is everywhere. I despair.
Tom
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/crime_safety/duke_lacrosse/story/593580.html
This is why Nifong will not show up at the hearing.
He will help document his illegal actions.
Off Topic
Nifong's in deep doo doo with Judge Smith
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/crime_safety/duke_lacrosse/story/593580.html
Check out N & O. Judge Smith is going after Nifong for disciplinary up to disbar and jail for contempt, based upon Dec 15
hearing.
Take a look at Wahneema's new CV on Duke website.
Off topic-
Please see
http://www.newsobserver.cvom/news/crime_safety/duke_lacrosse/story/593580.html
gak ... That whole city needs some Paxil or Prozac or something
Jun 6, 2007 9:32:00 AM
They aren't depressed. Rather, they need provigil and ritalin to wake up and pay attention.
Hmmm, I wonder if the worst racist prosecutor in the south in the late 1800's would have termed indicting factually innocent people based on absolutely no evidence to be "some small" errors.
Hey, has anyone see Jesse Jackson around? I wonder where he went.
anonymous at 9:53 AM writes: "Insurance reserves--even assuming coverage exists--won't begin to cover Durham's exposure on this one. That's when the laughter will start for me."
Do I have news that will tickle your funny bone: Insurance does not cover intentional torts. Durham has no insurance for this one.
While we're on the subject, I think I've concluded thinking about what a fair settlement figure should be: $50 million, net after attorneys fees, to the three boys. That's just Durham's part. Given what Winston-Salem paid to Darryl Hunt in a case where there was no police or prosecutor malfeasance, $50 million to the three boys in this case is in line with that.
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