Saturday, December 09, 2006

Best of the Case, V

Today’s post, the fifth installment of “best of the case,” highlights the most perceptive pieces to have appeared since mid-November. The post is divided into three categories: the Duke Chronicle; Liestoppers; and everything else.

Duke Chronicle

Since mid-November, those desiring first-class newspaper opinion commentary on the case needed look no further than Duke’s student newspaper. They also wouldn’t find such commentary anywhere else in the print media.

Kristin Butler, “Uncle Moneybags,” examined money, politics, and the unhealthy Duke/Durham relationship. Her previous column, “Tyranny of the Minority,” took to task those Duke students who failed to vote in the November 7 election—thus implicitly accepting the “separate-but-equal” system of justice Mike Nifong has imposed upon them.

Meanwhile, David Kleban, in “Innocence and ‘Innocence’,” offered a penetrating look at how the desire for symbolic justice among some in the Duke community has run counter to American legal traditions.

Liestoppers

Three remarkable posts over the past few weeks:

Facts, History, and Presumptions: A Retrospective” traced how, and why, too many observers of this case have desperately wanted not to see the truth.

Indicators of False Accusations” undertook the kind of analytic work a Nifong-led investigation might have performed had the “minister of justice” been interested in justice rather than securing indictments before the primary; the piece found that the accuser has exhibited 24 of the 29 recognized characteristics of a false claim.

A Durham Solution?” focused on the plea-bargain—stoutly defended by the same Herald-Sun that has denounced defendants in the lacrosse case—in which an NCCU student received probation after initially being charged with murder.

Others

Two perceptive analyses, from differing perspectives, of the Duke trustees’ poor performance:

In two posts, I looked at the Duke administration’s early missteps, through the prism of recent but misleading claims that the administration acted to uphold the presumption of innocence.

And see also:

18 comments:

AMac said...

Another worthwhile commentary by Prof. Gustafson is Do You See What I See, about the unfortunate impact of the snapshots taken by the partiers that nignt.

Anonymous said...

imo, the best of the case was expressed in an anonymous post that satirized crystal mangum's pathological motivation. it also emphasized that her phony allegations were predicated on her desire to avoid arrest. the post could serve as a perfect defense scenario if the case ever gets to trial

jim clyne

Anonymous said...

the post i cited is under "the calame thesis", 4:57jc

Anonymous said...

Another great weekly summary, KC, thank you!

Found this blog while searching for letters / comments from Graham Marlette:

May 18, 2006 - More With This Duke Lacrosse Rape Accuser Just Does Not Add Up

Anonymous said...

Jim Clyne:

I think I know the satire that you're speaking of. KC deleted it, but it's been posted mumerous times. A blogger nick of 'Crystal' / 'Kristal' or similar spelling has a profile & 10-15 blogs set up, and it's posted in each one of them.

Anonymous said...

To 6:40 AM: the post to which you refer is basically a racist rant.

Anonymous said...

disagree, when you look past the "racism," it's a very serious post indeed

how much do u want to bet that the rant's logic will basically frame the defense's case?

BTW, i emailed kirk osborn about it, and i think he appreciated its inherent "logic"

satire should never be considered "racist"--that's just an opinion, but that's how i see it

jc

Anonymous said...

2:07 I also have sent that rant to Mr. Osborn just a few days ago.

There is another satire piece I found on the N&O blog sits a while ago. I didn't think that was funny either. Where it talked about Nifong being raped by the Men's Lax Team.

Anonymous said...

kp, lacrosse rape is right up my alley (am i mixing metaphors?)

re kirk: u beat me to the punch--he emailed me and told me he had already read it--jc

Anonymous said...

J.C.'s sophomoric, poorly written, high school essay as been posted by him several times and ignored by all who follow. He doesn't seem to realize he needs to find another pastime.
If Osborn read it, I'm sure he was polite.
The reaction you've gotten here anonymously,from everyone else who read it, is a better indicator of how it is viewed.It's poorly executed and of little interest or reading value.
Interesting that you don't seem to realize that?

Anonymous said...

I'm mainly offended that J.C. is such a lousy writer. LOL!

Anonymous said...

didn't write it, fellas, but if i had, i'd come clean--OK?

jc

Anonymous said...

And in breaking news, New Orleans just re-elected William 'Tupperware' Jefferson.

Anonymous said...

The fact that it is satire does not mean it is not racist.

Anonymous said...

2:07 PM, so you agree that the comment is racist, but you think the racism is logical?

Brandon said...

We hope for justice for the young woman in the Duke rape case. She will have her justice and those boys will never do that to anyone else.

Anonymous said...

brandon, buddy, I hate to break it to you but what that ugly thing is peddling no man drunk or sober would want.

The woman in this case will get justice if her bubble butt is sent to prison for what she has done.

Anonymous said...

"She will have her justice "

Sure thing, Brandon. "Her" justice and nobody else's.

BTW, I can't see you getting 12 jury nullifiers up there at the same time. But , who knows, if all you true believers pray together...