Signaling that the university recognizes the dubious nature of the charges against them, two of the students charged in the Duke Rape Frame-Up Case have received letters from a senior administrator at Duke University welcoming them back to campus as students in good standing for the spring semester.

Duke University will allow two former lacrosse players accused of sexual assault to return to campus as students in good standing.

The university informed Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty in letters dated Jan. 2 that they were welcome to come back to Duke for the coming semester. They they had been placed on interim suspension and then administrative leave of absence. The third accused player, David Evans, graduated from Duke last year.

It's unclear whether Seligmann and Finnerty will accept Duke's offer to return this semester. The next court hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 5.

The gesture reflects the university's new stance toward the three former players. After rape charges were dropped in December, Duke President Richard Brodhead issued a statement calling into question Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong's handling of the case and the fact that kidnapping and sexual assault charges remain against the three men.

In a letter to Seligmann, Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs, wrote: "As circumstances have evolved in this extraordinary case, we have attempted to balance recognition of the gravity of legal charges with the presumption of your innocence. Now with the approach of a new term, we believe that circumstances warrant that we strike this balance differently."

The return of these young men to school is a complicated question. Both are still facing serious charges, and could stand trial during the coming semester. Would their return to school be an additional complication as they prepare to defend themselves against the increasingly flimsy charges brought by DA Mike Nifong? Will they really be welcome on a campus where a large group of professors have publicly issued a statement declaring them guilty – a statement that has never been retracted? Given the race-baiting engaged in by Nifong and others, will these young men be physically safe in Durham? Frankly, I’d be surprised to see either of them return prior to their full acquittal or the dropping of all charges – and even then I wonder if it would be more appropriate for them to make a clean start somewhere else.

Posted by: Greg at 11:20 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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