Though some of the things we've read since yesterday are contradictory, NBC17
reports that district attorney Mike Nifong says that if the DNA tests don't
point help his case, he won't file charges against members of the lacrosse team
in the alleged gang rape case.
Though Nifong so far has been consistent in saying that the alleged rapists
are members of the lacross team, he hedges a bit and says that "I haven't
pointed a finger at anybody. It is possible -- I don't expect this -- it's
possible that the DNA could come back, and we would see that it was someone who
didn't match the profile of the lacrosse players."
Though he tells NBC17 that he said he wouldn't make arrests without DNA
evidence, earlier he suggested that it wasn't necessary, that people used to try
rape cases without DNA and relied on testimony and other forms of physical
evidence, including, one would assume, the results of the rape test given the
alleged victim, among other things.
The Herald-Sun reports that any possible charges may be delayed further as
the DNA test results are studied. But if local attorney Tom Loflin is
correct, the DNA evidence will be tossed anyway.
Meanwhile, there are concerns that the Durham police didn't properly
investigate the crime scene, waiting two days to do so. This was a key
issue in the Michael Peterson case, as police did a horrible job of managing the
initial investigation, to the point where it should have created reasonable
doubt and led to the end of the trial, and will surely be part of the upcoming
appeal.
Meanwhile, in a very disturbing twist, some
people are threatening violence against the lacrosse team.
In calls and e-mails to the athletic department, some have threatened to harm
members of the team, which isn't going to help anything. People who live
in the neighborhood have reported passersby making threatening gestures.