Duke Students On Life After Indictment

'It Was Unreal,' One Lacrosse Player Recounts; I Never Got My Diploma, Another Says

(CBS)  When Duke University lacrosse player David Evans and his family attended his graduation ceremony last May, so did the news media. Evans had gotten word that he would be indicted, and so did a host of photographers.

"When I wanted to walk and get my diploma with all my friends, I couldn't," Evans said. "My dad had to go get it, 'cause there were so many in the press who knew I was gonna be indicted the next day, they wanted a picture of me with my diploma, and I never got to get it."

It wasn't just Evans' graduation; it was also Mother's Day.

"This should have been one of the greatest days in my mom's life, the culmination of … 23 years of schooling, all this work, she couldn't experience that," Evans told 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley.

Evans says he didn't walk on graduation day because he didn't want to give the media the satisfaction of having another photograph of him.

Fellow accused lacrosse player Reade Seligmann, 20, says his experience with Duke since his indictment hasn't just been tainted, it has been ruined.

"I chose Duke to be my home for four years. And to see your professors … go out and slander you and say these horrible, untrue things about you and to have your … administration just … cut us lose for, for, based on nothing," Seligmann said. "Duke took that stance that 'We wouldn't stand for this behavior.' They didn't want to take a chance on standing up for the truth."

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Watch newly released portions of the CBS exclusive interviews.
Read the original "60 Minutes" transcript.
Watch Ed Bradley's reporter's notebook.

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Seligmann says he isn't sure he'd return to Duke.

"I can't imagine representing a school that didn't want to represent me," Seligmann said. "Couldn't imagine."

The third accused lacrosse player, Collin Finnerty, 19, says his life has been profoundly altered by the rape accusation.

"The whole process takes a lot out of you. Going on trial for something you never did is very frightening. And I think about it all the time," Finnerty said.

Evans, the oldest of the accused at 23 years old, served as a team captain and lived at the house where the alleged rape took place. He's had five months to think about the decisions he made surrounding the party, for which they hired two dancers from an escort service.

"I was naïve. I was young," Evans said. "I was sheltered and I made a terrible judgment — my greatest failure as a leader. In five months, I've learned more than I did in 22 years about life and responsibility, and everything that it means.

"Even the smallest action has great consequences, and even the ones that you take for granted every day that just might be a little bit wrong can lead to terrible, terrible things."

As for his relationship with Duke, Seligmann says: "It wasn't convenient for them to stand up to the truth. And, you know, I can't forgive them for that."

[house015]

I would like to thank Ed Bradley for focusing on the facts, and leaving the alleged victim's history out the story as much as possible. Although I do believe she has falsely accused these young men, dragging any potential victim through the mud is a dangerous road to take. I'm just sorry it has taken so long for the media to back away from the racial posturing and assorted drama, and look at what actually may have happened.

I resent assuming that these young people before thereis even a trial. I once served a grand jury and I must confess I have nothing positive to say about prosecutors in general. The one's I've met have little concern for human rights and constitutinal rights. From what I've seen, I find little to believe that they are guilty of more than making a mistake of having a party.

[lanaedawn]

I was shocked and disgusted when I watched this 60 Minutes story. They have so little evidence and the prosecutor is so incompetent...its such a shame that three boys are having their lives ruined because of some imbecile's political ambitions. These boys' education is being put on hold because of this 'lawyers' idiocy! I hope that these boys and their 'rich daddies' and 'big shot lawyers' sue the h*** out of everyone they can after they are acquitted.

[severow]

After Ed Bradley's straight-forward examination of the record thus far in this case and his ensuing report on "60 Minutes," the Nation received perhaps its first glimpse of the uncertainties, vicissitudes and frequent turbulence of politics, government and education in the Duke University and Durham, N.C., communities.

As a native of North Carolina's largest city, Charlotte, who attended Duke while passing up the opportunity to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I must say that the political currents in Durham are perhaps the most swift and forceful in the entire state, and the press seems only to attain an occasional glimpse of "the way it was" at any given moment in the immediate past.

When national and state political pressures are brought to bear upon strictly local civic, educational and law enforcement developments, the work not only of the press but also of the attorneys for all parties involved becomes even more difficult and challenging.

But there is a new calm here in Durham and in the Duke community particularly now that "60 Minutes" has delved straight into the heart of the issues involved in this case and has presented the public with a clear and well-documented report on the situation as it now stands.

[apdepetris]

This DA is ridiculous. He got this case right around election time and thought he could use it to secure his re-election. So he made a big deal about it figuring that he would demonstrate how wonderful he is by getting these evil-doers that are behaving as they are above the law. The problem is that he was so sure of this case that he opened his big mouth before he had the facts. And as the facts starting coming in, it looked more and more like no crime had even been committed. So he disregards the DNA evidence when it didn't go his way (which by the way he said was going to be definative proof until the tests came back and didn't match up with anyone on the team). Then he stacks the line-up by telling the accuser that all the men there are on the team (instead of throwing some other random guys in there as well). I mean come on, all she had to do was pick 3 guys; any 3 guys; she couldn't really go wrong there. Basically everything done has been a CYA (cover your a!!) move by the DA when he found his case falling apart. Great for him - save his own face at the expense of these boys.

[cryonbrian]

You have to be kidding, but then, this is not funny, so you have a serious issue that you need to tend to. This happens to all races - *** and power and stupidity see no color. Posted by ssporleder at 02:08 PM : Oct 17, 2006

The fact is that white men, especially those in power (3rd US President Jefferson %u2013Pedophile) love to sneak around and have their way with black women. They are the first to say, oh we don%u2019t like darkies and then when night falls these rat *** sneak into the slave quarters. Well these rat *** innocent or not got caught the hell out! I guess at the Thanks Giving dinner this year the topic will exclude race! LMBAO!

[ssporleder]

"I guess next time those white boys will not be looking in the slave quarters for women! LOL Posted by cryonbrian at 01:08 PM : Oct 17, 2006"

You have to be kidding, but then, this is not funny, so you have a serious issue that you need to tend to. This happens to all races - *** and power and stupidity see no color.

[ssporleder]

These young men should be very publicly apologized to by everyone involved.
Our system failed them greatly.

[iloveamerica]

newster1.....uhhhhh, they didnt commit a crime some RACIST accused them of something they didnt do to make a few bucks. She was probably some drug addict hooker who will do anything for cash.... Some selfish idiot who thinks she is the only person on earth. She has a history of lying and crime...and she is in the noble proffession of stripping for money.

[iloveamerica]

sorry...fourth story on Fox, Second story on CNN.

"AP: Reid used campaign funds for Christmas bonuses"

[iloveamerica]

Anyone know where the Harry Reid scandal story is on this website? I cant seem to find it....

It is FRONT PAGE on CNN and Fox....CBS doesnt even have it....at all. strange.

[nothappyatall]

Oh POOR baby has it so hard doesn't he!
Maybe he shoulda thought this all out BEFORE he committed the crime eh?

[gbarber1953]

I'm from Durham and a Duke fan, but am so dissappointed in Duke and how they failed the young men during this time. It is apparent that the DA of Durham was wrong in his actions and had a personal agenda when going forward with the arrest. This lady had a history of this type of behavior, claiming other men had done the same to her years earlier and not going thru with the charges. The evidence speaks for itself and I pray that a jury will see thru this farce and shame on the DA. You would think that if someone is suspected of rape, the DA would talk to them prior to an arrest! She has destroyed the lives of many people, including the coach! The young men will never get over this and Dave Evans will never get to walk across and get the diploma that he so deserved as an honor student! The fact that all these young men come from a family with large incomes should NEVER have any bearing on the guilt or innocence of these guys. The media and the public are so quick to blame anyone affiliated with Duke because of the prestige which goes with attending Duke. The DNA should speak for itself, this lady had encounters with other men prior to going to the party and the DNA was found on her during the testing. What is he thinking, I would never step another foot on the Duke Campus, they have fully demonstrated how they will support someone in this type of situation. I hope the DA gets the boot in the coming elections and the new one sees this case for what it is! I BIG MISTAKE !

[ana-dale-2009]

The friggin DA has no matching DNA? His MO is writtin all over this case, which is UM...Ulterior Motives. How many guys have been released from prison in the last few years based on someone elses dna exonerating them. Yet, this da is insistent that he can continue based on a mere line-up and someone pointing a finger and saying so? You can be certain a good lawyer will be lining up all three of these big Dzz. The Durham PD, the DA and, Duke itself.

[heresmy2cent]

One thing for sure. The lawyers representing these lads are going to make a mountain of money.

[garydeeman]

I see this as politicians with big dreams, politics, politics, politics. The da wants to go on with no evidence at all, all because some poor girl who was getting by by dancing nude I suppose to make money and seen this as a way to get rich. I guess some bleading hearts will give her money anyway. Her buddy says it didn't happen, dna says it didn't happen but the da says it did and won't quit, go figure.

[acccbb]

I hope CBS shows these outtakes on an upcoming show. The actions taken by the Duke adminstration during the past 7 months are deplorable. Evans states that hosting the party was his greatest failure as a leader. This young man acknowledges his mistake, which is much more than can be said for the Duke adminstration. Some of the comments made by the Duke professors, particularly about Reade, amount to slander and I hope his family sues them at the conclusion of this farce. Who can blame Colin for being frightened a trial might end in a conviction? I am worried for all three young men because of the obvious corruption of the DA and Durham Police Dept. The lead investigator has already proven to be a lier when he filed his report, so nothing that dept. does would surprise me. The state of North Carolina needs to wake up and drop this case.