In 2006, there was a high-profile criminal case in Durham, North Carolina that involved members of the Duke lacrosse team. David Evans, Collin Finnerty, and Reade Seligmann, who were part of the Duke University men’s lacrosse team, were accused of rape by Crystal Mangum, a student at North Carolina Central University and a part-time strip tease dancer.
Mangum alleged that the rape occurred on March 13, 2006, during a gathering hosted by the lacrosse team.
This case received extensive media coverage and sparked discussions about the criminal justice system’s impartiality, racial relations, and the role of athletes in society.
THE INCIDENTS OF MARCH 13TH, 2006.
On March 13, 2006, the Duke University lacrosse team threw a party at 610 North Buchanan Boulevard. The team captain contacted an escort service named Allure and requested two white strippers.
The Duke Lacrosse team
However, when the two women, Crystal Mangum and Kim Mera Roberts, arrived, it turned out that they were black and half-Asian, respectively. The two strippers arrived at the party separately. While they were performing, one of the players asked if they had any sex toys. Roberts replied by asking if the player’s penis was too small.
The player grabbed a broomstick and made a lewd suggestion, indicating that it could be used as a sex toy. This caused the women to abruptly halt their performance and leave the living room. They went straight to the main bathroom of the house and locked themselves in.
After some time, they were coaxed back into the house with an apology, but once inside, they were separated.
Mangum alleged that she was forcefully taken into a bathroom where she was sexually assaulted, beaten, and strangled for half an hour. Meanwhile, the team captain tried to convince the women to complete the performance. However, despite returning to the house, both women refused to perform and locked themselves in the bathroom once again.
The house where the party was held
At around 1:00 a.m., as they were trying to leave the party, Mangum and Roberts insulted the other guests by calling them “short dick white boys” and making fun of one of them for having to pay for sexual services. In response, one of the players made a racist comment, stating, “We asked for whites, not niggers.”
Eventually, Mangum and Roberts left, and the party came to an end, with all the guests, including the residents, leaving the house.
Later on, the police returned to the house, responding to Roberts’ complaint, but received no response at the door. A neighbor confirmed that a party had taken place earlier, but it had already been disbanded.
THE DUKE LACROSSE TEAM IS ACCUSED.
The day after the incident, which occurred on March 13, Crystal Mangum reported the alleged rape to the Durham Police Department. An investigation was launched, which involved interviewing Mangum and searching the property located at 610 North Buchanan under a warrant. According to Mangum, she had been forced into a bathroom and raped by three members of the lacrosse team.
On March 23, all 46 white members of the lacrosse team were asked to provide DNA samples and were photographed. Duke University suspended the team for two games on March 28, and their coach resigned shortly thereafter. The school’s president then canceled the remainder of the lacrosse season.
On April 10, defense attorneys revealed that DNA test results did not match any of the players to Mangum. However, after further investigation, on April 17, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann were charged with rape, sexual offense, and kidnapping.
The then Durham County District Attorney, Mike Nifong, enjoyed the attention the case brought on him, he made statements to the press and was willing to do anything possible to convict the players.
The then Durham County District Attorney, Mike Nifong.
Following the initial tests conducted by the state crime lab, prosecutor Nifong decided to hire the services of a private laboratory, DNA Security, Inc. (also known as DSI) of Burlington, North Carolina, to conduct further testing. Forensic evidence from Mangum and the rape kit items that were tested had revealed DNA from multiple unidentified males, but none of the DNA matched any of the lacrosse players.
The hiring of a private laboratory was an attempt to gather more evidence to support the prosecution’s case against the accused players. Nifong refused to disclose the details of the DNA test, he never mentioned that the DNA results excluded the players from the case.
The Lacrosse team boys during their trial, from left to right, David Evans Collin Finnerty Reade Seligmann
On December 28, 2006, the North Carolina State Bar filed ethics charges against Nifong in relation to his conduct in the case. The charges accused him of making public statements that were prejudicial to the administration of justice and contributed to increased public condemnation of the accused players. Additionally, he was accused of engaging in conduct that involved dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
David Evans proclaims his innocence
The case drew attention to issues of class and race, as the accuser was a poor, Black, single mother from the Durham area, while the three lacrosse players were from affluent backgrounds.
Throughout the investigation, Crystal Mangum changed several key details of her story, and the other stripper, Roberts, stated that Mangum was not raped. The defense lawyers of the Duke lacrosse players alleged that Mangum was under the influence of alcohol and possibly other drugs on the night of the party.
Mangum admitted to the police that she had taken a prescription Flexeril and consumed “one or two large-size beers” before the party. The Attorney General’s office later disclosed that Mangum had taken Ambien, methadone, Paxil, and amitriptyline, and had a long history of mental health issues, including a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
The Lacrosse team boys are released,
On January 12, 2007, Nifong sent a letter to North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper requesting to be removed from the case. The following day, on January 13th, Cooper announced that his office would take over the case. This decision was made in response to the mounting evidence of Nifong’s unethical behavior and the need for an impartial and fair investigation into the case.
Once Cooper took over the case, all the lies Nifong had concealed was made know, it became clear that though there were unknown DNA on Mangum’s body: two unidentified males’ DNA in Mangum’s pubic region, at least two unidentified males’ DNA in her rectum, at least four to five unidentified males’ DNA on her underpants, and at least one identified male’s DNA in her vagina. Of all the strange DNA found on her body, none matched those of the players.
The presence of DNA from multiple unidentified males suggested that Mangum, who worked as an escort had engaged in sexual activity with other individuals.
On April 12, 2007, the players were declared innocent. They were subsequently compensated with $20 million dollars each.