<p>This is a bit off the track- </p>
<p>then again, it is food for thought-</p>
<p>The NC DA announced yesterday that the 3 duke lacrosse players accused of rape were “innocent” and that all charges were being dropped. Not “case dropped for lack of evidence,” but “innocent of all charges.”</p>
<p>Great news for 3 young innocent men.</p>
<p>The problem is:</p>
<p>-each family has run up legal fees in excess of 1 million dollars- morgaged homes, maxed out credit cards, exhausted any and all assets and loans from family and friends- to defend their innocent kid. </p>
<p>-they can spend more in legal fees to try and recoup money from a DA that is up for disbarment, but they will never be made whole, or anything close to it. Forget about suing the DA office- government agencies are not up for grabs.</p>
<p>-these boys have been tried, convicted, and smeared all over the media for over a year. Their pictures have been plastered all over the front pages of newspapers and every major TV channel, time and time again, over the last 12 months. I wonder how much front-page press they will get over the next 12 months declaring their innocence. Yesterday it made page 8 of our newspaper.</p>
<p>-we have yet to know who the victum is. Wait- let me rephrase that, because she is only a victum of her own doings. We have yet to know who this lying - I am at a loss for words what to call her than can be posted- is.
I doubt we will remember anything about her a month from now.</p>
<p>-this story will follow these boys around for life. Duke has invited 2 of them back to school; they have declined. It is any wonder.</p>
<p>While I fully appreciate protecting victims of sexual assult, I am of the opinion the pendulum has swung too far to one side, for if the acused are indeed found “innocent,” then the charges are nothing but lies, and the aka “victim” should be held accountable for harm done as a result.</p>
<p>In the case of the duke lacrosse team, it is more than 3 lives ruined- it is 3 families, and I will venture to say it extends out to 3 communities. There has got to be a better way of doing this.</p>
<p>There is something terribly wrong when the innocent have to be financially ruined, not to mention ruined in many other ways, just to defend their innocence, only to be found innocent afterall!!!..and the acusor walks away scott free. Perhaps the losing side should bear the brunt of the cost of both sides if the liability is 100% theirs.</p>
<p>what am i missing??? Seems to be a world gone mad…</p>