• But in here it's so delightful - thoughts on Obama and the weather
• Protectionism: Everybody stimulate yourself!
• I like the pictures
• Mandela, King, Gandhi... Blagojevich
• Shovels are so 1933
• The cutting edge is nipping at its own tail
• Funny Because It's True (yet again)
• Obligatory Gaza
• Being Reasonable--reaction from the Muslim family recently thrown off a flight by AirTrain
• Won't you be my neighbor?
• Snowzilla
• ZOMG! Radioactive coal sludge will kill us all! (updated)
• Quick points on the auto industry bailout
• Slow and Steady
• Foreign policy and international public opinion

• January 2009
• December 2008
• November 2008
• October 2008
• September 2008
• August 2008
• July 2008
• June 2008
• May 2008
• April 2008
• March 2008
• February 2008
• January 2008
• November 2007
• October 2007
• September 2007
• August 2007
• July 2007
• June 2007
• May 2007
• April 2007
• March 2007
• February 2007
• January 2007
• December 2006
• November 2006
• October 2006
• September 2006
• August 2006
• July 2006
• June 2006
• May 2006
• April 2006
• March 2006
• February 2006
• January 2006
• December 2005
• November 2005
• October 2005
• September 2005
• August 2005
• July 2005
• June 2005

« The Official PC Radio Hit List | Main | VT »

The Cost of Innocence

My parents always warned me about being at the wrong place at the wrong time, especially when I was in college. They tried to keep reminding me to use my best judgment on doing certain things. As a college kid, obviously what I thought was my better judgment might not have been what they thought was my better judgment. But for three young men in North Carolina, it didn’t matter.

The other day the three Duke students that were charged with sexual assault a little over a year ago were declared innocent by the judge and the case was thrown out. It was a farce to begin with and some prosecutor wanted to make a name for himself with this big case. The problem is these young men will be forever linked to something that never happened. This whole thing affected so many more as well. A partial list of the consequences:

- Two of the three students were suspended from Duke. Luckily one of them graduated before they were indicted. When it was clear earlier this year that this case was falling apart and it was “made up,” the university invited the two suspended ones back. Neither returned.
- The head coach of the lacrosse team they played on resigned under fire since the accusation took place at a party held by the team members. The coach has repeatedly stated that the students were innocent from the beginning.
- The university cancelled the whole 2006 season for the lacrosse team. I’m not sure how many they have on the team, but it is probably close to twenty. Twenty kids not able to compete in the sport they love, most of them on scholarship I would imagine.

I feel sorry for these three men. They (and their families I would imagine) spent who knows how much money on their defense. I wouldn’t be surprised if it topped the million mark. They will never be relieved of the stigma from this case against them. All for no reason.