Two Duke Lacrosse Players Arrested; DA Hopes to Charge Third
DURHAM, N.C.
Two Duke University lacrosse players were arrested early Tuesday on charges of raping and kidnapping an exotic dancer hired to dance at an off-campus party, and the district attorney says he hopes to charge a third person soon.
The indictments, unsealed Tuesday, did not indicate what possible evidence or arguments led the grand jury Monday to indict Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty, both 20. District Attorney Mike Nifong would not discuss the evidence.
“It had been my hope to charge all three of the assailants at the same time, but the evidence available to me at this moment does not permit that,” Nifong said. “Investigation into the identity of the third assailant will continue in the hope that he can also be identified with certainty.”
Seligmann posted a $400,000 bond shortly after his arrest, and Finnerty was in the process of doing so for the same amount, says Col. George Naylor of the Durham County jail.
Earlier, Seligmann, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Essex Fells, N.J., and Finnerty, a 6-foot-3 sophomore from Garden City, N.Y., were led out of a police cruiser in handcuffs, one wearing a tie and jacket, the other in a button-down shirt and jeans.
Seligmann is “absolutely innocent,” says his attorney, Kirk Osborn. “He’s doing great. That’s all I have to say.”
