I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone in this business who consistently reminds my colleagues of due process issues regarding ongoing criminal investigations. Media, and the general public, are apt to quickly jump to conclusions and often times prematurely connect dots that may or may not exist. We try to live in a world of "what if this happened to me...or a member of my family..." on either side of a story. It's a definite help in framing how we approach a story. We try...sometimes we succeed...sometimes we don't.
That preamble is cited because of what I write today.
True...other than an underage drinking citation...no one has been charged in the case of Duke's lacrosse team in the claim of gang rape and sodomy by a dancer hired to work what she thought was a batchelor's party.
True...the US Constitution guarantees a citizen is innocent until proven guilty.
True...Duke University is not legally bound to say much, if anything at the time of this posting.
However...doesn't common sense and decency call for...if not scream for President Richard Brodhead to make some statement at least acknowledging the concerns and outrage of the community?
Can you imagine the impact it could make, not a gurantee, but could make to see him take a walk through the comuinty in question....to openly talk with neighbors..to listen to the students (both male AND female) on campus. Not to talk about the specifics of this or any other investigation...but to simply acknowledge what's happening? Does he realize how frustrated, angry, scared some of these people are who live near...very near his campus?
Duke is reknown world-wide for its research, academic prowess, basketball, law and medicine.
Is there an elixir here the president is ignoring?
There's no way of knowing for sure, but one has to think Terry Sanford would be talking...listening...and responding openly to the community and the students.
Sure is quiet in Durham today.
