Duke case shows law’s double standard

In March of 2006, three former Duke Lacrosse players were accused of allegedly raping an exotic dancer who attended North Carolina Central University. A little more than a year later all three men have been cleared by the attorney general’s office.

It is absolutely ridiculous these men did not receive a single conviction.

If the shoe was on the other foot and three black football players raped a white girl from FSU, the case would have been over within months, and all three men would have been locked up.

For the prosecutor to say there was no substantial evidence to convict the lacrosse players of any charges is a load of crap.

There may not have been any evidence of the men penetrating her, but what about assault? The woman was allegedly pulled into a bathroom, beaten and choked.

Where are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton now? Applause for your stance against Don Imus, but the fight against racism does not stop there.

Furthermore, according to a recent report from CNN, David Evans, Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty are considering suing the district attorney who pursued rape and sexual assault charges against them.

In addition, the three men have demanded an apology from Duke University, and in particularly its President, Richard H. Brodhead, for cancelling their season and treating them as if they were guilty, even though the men were still professing innocence.

If a black man was blessed enough to be cleared of all charges, he definitely wouldn’t have a chance of suing the attorney general and no right to ask for an apology. Only in America.

Brent Hatchett for the Editorial Board.