Wake rape allegations

[JasonEvans]

In light of what happened at Duke when athletes were accused of sexual assault, I would urge all of us to remain level-headed and wait for the facts to come out before we start pouncing on Wake Forest in the next couple days.

I am certain that one of the first questions to be raised will be, "why did the woman wait 2 years before reporting this alleged crime?" Many will want to dismiss her claims because of that fact. I would just caution that it is not at all uncommon for a victim of sexual assault to take a while to come to grips with the crime and be able to face the public questions and accusations that come with being a rape victim. Especially in the case of a woman accusing someone "famous" of committing the rape, there is often a reluctance to come forward because of the public perception that so many women are willing to throw themselves at famous men.

Anyway, I am not sure any of us were going to discuss this, but I figured I would try to head off a round of finger pointing one way or another by cautioning everyone to wait and see what comes out.

That said, seeing as it has been a couple years, it is going to be nearly impossible to prove what happened here. It will likely be a "he-said, she-said" situation where we never know the truth.

-Jason "as if Wake needed anything else bad to happen -- that program is in a massive tailspin right now" Evans

[Scorp4me]

I would just caution that it is not at all uncommon for a victim of sexual assault to take a while to come to grips with the crime and be able to face the public questions and accusations that come with being a rape victim.

I agree with your post and certainly the quoted part is true. But if this really happened is announcing it on the Today Show really the place to do it? Seems more like something you would see on the Maury Povich show and we all know the stuff on there is crap. This is something that is obviously disturbing to everyone and should be taken to the proper authorities, taken to the police, handled delicately...not paraded on the morning show circuits like some scarlet letter. Obviously we don't know the whole story. Perhaps she tried all that and it was covered up so she felt this was her only way to get results. I'll be interested to get all the facts, but I think it smells bad upon first whif.

[sagegrouse]

I agree with your post and certainly the quoted part is true. But if this really happened is announcing it on the Today Show really the place to do it? Seems more like something you would see on the Maury Povich show and we all know the stuff on there is crap. This is something that is obviously disturbing to everyone and should be taken to the proper authorities, taken to the police, handled delicately...not paraded on the morning show circuits like some scarlet letter. Obviously we don't know the whole story. Perhaps she tried all that and it was covered up so she felt this was her only way to get results. I'll be interested to get all the facts, but I think it smells bad upon first whif.

I think the fact that she is appearing on The Today Show makes it especially scary for Wake Forest. We'll see what she says, but Today is a news show inclined to chack and double-check sources and facts.

Of course, I well remember the disgraced Mike Nifong on Today doing some totally made up renactment.

sagegrouse

[moonpie23]

true, or not, it's a very sad situation...


hope this avoids the circus show that the duke disaster became...

ugh..

[hurleyfor3]

We'll see what she says, but Today is a news show inclined to chack and double-check sources and facts.

Primarily because Dan Rather doesn't work there, I guess.

Years ago Wake kids made a bunch of cheers and signs relating to Shelden Williams. "No Means No," that kind of thing, regarding accusations about Shelden's high school years that were eventually dropped. It's hard for me to have much sympathy for the Wake fanbase here.

[roywhite]

Without getting into these allegations, I recall what a strange dip Wake took in the second half of their 2008-09 season. As noted elsewhere, this was a team with a ton of future NBA talent that was ranked #1 in the country at one point and won their first 16 games.

They ended up losing in the 1st round of the ACC Tournament, and losing badly to Cleveland State in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament, a game in which they appeared totally ineffective and lethargic. Athletic director Wellman had to be thinking of that late season collapse (and similar inconsistency the following year) when he bounced Dino Gaudio.

There was certainly bad chemistry somewhere along the line; that doesn't mean there was criminal behavior, but it was a strange late season swoon.

[devildeac]

Have nancy (dis)grace and jesse jackson responded to these allegations yet?

[MCFinARL]

true, or not, it's a very sad situation...


hope this avoids the circus show that the duke disaster became...

ugh..

Well, it can't be good publicity for Wake in any case. But there may be some reasons it won't turn out like the Duke situation.

For starters, school is probably out right now--no students around on campus to make a ruckus or for media vultures to harass. And the alleged perpetrators, who have been described as "former" players, presumably don't go to school there any more.

More cynically, I suspect Wake Forest basketball players will be much less appealing villains for the schadenfreude crowd than "privileged," "entitled" Duke lacrosse players.

[-jk]

Folks,

Please don't use this thread to revisit the LAX hoax. That one's long since been beaten into dust.

thanks,

-jk

[Devil07]

Well at the least, it does appear that this segment will in fact air. Wake's president sent out an email alerting the Wake community about it, although he doesn't actually make reference to the fact that the allegations are against basketball players (http://www.bloggersodear.com/2011/5/...ault#storyjump). He more or less just says that there will be an interview on TV and that he can't discuss it.

I'm not quite sure what to think of this situation. Until we hear what the former student has to say, it is hard to really get a feel for what's going on here. My guess is that this won't become a particularly large ongoing story but you never really know when these things will take on a life of their own. While I'm going to just wait and see about the underlying allegations, it certainly seems as though this will only increase pressure on Ron Wellman. He seems by all accounts to be a good AD (I know many here wanted him to replace Alleva a few years back), but things are not exactly trending in the right directions with basketball and football seems to have regressed a bit. Since Bzdelik clearly had no part in any of this, I wonder if any heat from this incident will filter up to Wellman. If I recall, I do believe that they gave Dino an extension not long after the 2009 season ended, although who knows if the school even was aware of the allegations at the time. Regardless, judging from my Wake friends, it seems as though Wellman already used up a decent amount of his goodwill when he hired Bzdelik (which was perceived by most of my Wake friends at least as hiring a friend instead of the best available coach). Depending on when Wake knew of these allegations and how they were handled, Wellman could be facing some serious pressure.

[killerleft]

If the blurbs coming from the Today Show are any indication, objectivity is not going to be a large part of the proceedings. Just as in the false allegations made against Duke students, the Today Show is going to assume that the young lady is telling the truth. Dangerous ground, especially if there is no evidence to back up the story.

[Jim3k]

I'm betting she doesn't name names. The place to do that is to the police/DA. Doing so on national television without a charge pending suggests she is more interested in promoting the anti-violence group and its aims rather than prosecuting anyone. Naming anyone on TV will risk a defamation suit and I don't think the network will permit that.

[Kimist]

#1 - Timing is somewhat interesting

#2 - Statute of limitations issues for alleged event?

[Bluedog]

Who says she even wants to file charges? Maybe she just wants her story told to reach out to other alleged victims and offer them support. I doubt there's much evidence one way or the other this much later so it'd be a he said, she said type case. This obviously doesn't help Wake's image temporarily, but I don't think it's going to have much of an effect or be a huge story. But who knows...

By the way, there is no statute of limitations for felony rape in North Carolina. Sexual misconduct misdemeanors have a 2-year limit.

Edit: Now that I see JG Nothing's post, I guess she did file a police report back then...

[JG Nothing]

http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2011...-i-ar-1040890/

"A former Wake Forest student will appear on The Today Show Thursday to talk about an incident she says happened in March 2009 in Miami after the team played Cleveland State in the first round of the NCAA tournament, WGHP/Fox 8, the Winston-Salem Journal's news partner, reported.

"Kathy Redmond, a spokeswoman for the National Coalition Against Violent Athletes, told WGHP/Fox 8 that the former student told school officials about the alleged incident once she returned to campus. School officials told her they would take care of it, Redmond said.

"Months passed, and the student never heard back from school officials, Redmond said. She flew back to Miami and filed a police report. The student later withdrew from the school and lives in another state, Redmond said."

[CameronBornAndBred]

National Coalition Against Violent Athletes

Seriously? There's enough to warrant a national coalition? I wonder how many athletes are violent compared to every other sector in america? Is there a coalition against violent postal workers? Or against violent students? Sigh.

[Duvall]

Seriously? There's enough to warrant a national coalition? I wonder how many athletes are violent compared to every other sector in america? Is there a coalition against violent postal workers? Or against violent students? Sigh.

For Kathy Redmond, one was enough.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

For Kathy Redmond, one was enough.

Read the summary of his arrests and convictions. He was more familiar with the court system than many undergraduates.

[cf-62]

By the way, there is no statute of limitations for felony rape in North Carolina. Sexual misconduct misdemeanors have a 2-year limit.

Edit: Now that I see JG Nothing's post, I guess she did file a police report back then...

And the alleged crime occurred in Miami, so NC laws don't apply.

[Bluedog]

And the alleged crime occurred in Miami, so NC laws don't apply.

Oops, my mistake. Apologies...

For Florida:

(1) For prosecutions for a capital felony, a life felony, or a felony that resulted in a death, no limitation
(2) (a) For a felony of the first degree, within four years after commission of the offense
(2) (b) For any other felony, within three years after commission of the offense
..
(13) (a) If the offense is a first or second degree felony violation of § 794.011, and the
offense is reported within 72 hours after its commission, the prosecution for such
offense may be commenced at any time
...
(14) No limit if the victim was 18 or older at the time of commission of the offense and the offense was reported to a law enforcement agency within 72 hours after its
commission

http://www.rainn.org/pdf-files-and-o...daStatutes.pdf

I'm not a lawyer.