Where to play Duke

From Managing Editor Jerry Goldberg,  more on why a story is considered for Page One.

    The announcement that all charges have been dropped against three Duke lacrosse players accused of sexually assaulting a stripper at a party is part of a running story that illustrates the nature of journalism. That is, the news process is an evolving one, and you can always be sure that more information will be coming out as a story develops. It also speaks to how decisions are made about where to play stories.

     When a North Carolina prosecutor last April charged members of the team with raping a stripper  during a party, The News put it on Page One. It had the potent elements of a compelling story -- race, class and sex.  The white players were from one of America's best known universities while their accuser, an African-American woman, attended a smaller nearby college comprised of students less affluent than their Duke counterparts. Moreover, there was no indication of just how weak the case against the players really was.

    Another  story a day later also went on Page One. That piece dealt with defense lawyers attacking the prosecutor and detailing why their clients were innocent. A third Page One story about a month later dealt with a third member of the team being indicted. That player was the first to speak out about the woman's charges being "fantastic lies."

 

    As the prosecutor's  case began to unravel, we ran further articles, although not on Page One. The ebb and flow of a legal case is seldom played out entirely on Page One. That's true because we know that more information is bound to come out.

 

   While announcing that the charges had been dropped, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, who took over the case from Durham County District Mike Nifong, said his investigation cast doubt on whether an attack took place at all.

 

   It's a dramatic development, and that's why this story again will be given strong consideration for tomorrow's Page One.

 

 

 

Comments

[Lloyd Marshall Jr.]

Effective the day the case was dropped, the name of the accuser is now known to one and all. Her name is Crystal Gail Mangum, and more on her can be found in the Fox News Website.

[Bob]

I would like to see the News discuss what is going to happen if anything to the Professor's @ Duke who wanted to see these three boys tared and feather, I think the national press should approach them and seek an apology from them also...