The Duke Lacrosse Scandal
Abstract
The author will examine a public accusation of misconduct against the Duke Lacrosse team and their actions pertaining to a party they hosted at a residence in Durham, NC. After the party, there was an accusation of sexual abuse and rape against some of the players on the team made by one of the females who were paid for entertainment. The author will examine the accusations made against the players along with the actions of the District Attorney (DA), Michael Nifong that ultimately got him disbarred. The author will examine DA Nifong’s ethical decisions as they pertain to his job and the influence he had on the public along with the ethics of the involved individuals in the case. Introduction
The problem to be investigated is the Duke Lacrosse scandal, which decimated a top collegiate athletic program and cast a negative shadow over one of the top academic universities. Duke University had one of the top men’s lacrosse programs in the county, which had won numerous national championships. Unfortunately, the decisions and actions of some of the team members threatened to destroy the reputation of the lacrosse program and the entire university. The media and society have developed a large appetite for scandal that is still evident today, whether it is due to sex, drugs, cheating or spying (Mazanov & Connor, 2010). The real life drama of the Duke lacrosse team was spread out over several months and included the lacrosse season being cancelled, three players indicted on rape charges, a crooked prosecutor, turncoat faculty members and administrators, irate neighbors and even dirty cops, all of whom had their own personal agendas (Jennings, 2009). The story was also fueled with the racist overtones, which alluded to the rich white athletes who sexually abused the poor inner-city black female stripper. This case is a reminder of the destructive power of racism fueled by political correctness and a desire to gain political influence by any means.
The author will examine a public accusation of misconduct against the Duke Lacrosse team and their actions pertaining to a party they hosted at a residence in Durham, NC. After the party, there was an accusation of sexual abuse and rape against some of the players on the team made by one of the females who were paid for entertainment. The author will examine the accusations made against the players along with the actions of the District Attorney (DA), Michael Nifong that ultimately got him disbarred. The author will examine DA Nifong’s ethical decisions as they pertain to his job and the influence he had on the public along with the ethics of the involved individuals in the case. Introduction
The problem to be investigated is the Duke Lacrosse scandal, which decimated a top collegiate athletic program and cast a negative shadow over one of the top academic universities. Duke University had one of the top men’s lacrosse programs in the county, which had won numerous national championships. Unfortunately, the decisions and actions of some of the team members threatened to destroy the reputation of the lacrosse program and the entire university. The media and society have developed a large appetite for scandal that is still evident today, whether it is due to sex, drugs, cheating or spying (Mazanov & Connor, 2010). The real life drama of the Duke lacrosse team was spread out over several months and included the lacrosse season being cancelled, three players indicted on rape charges, a crooked prosecutor, turncoat faculty members and administrators, irate neighbors and even dirty cops, all of whom had their own personal agendas (Jennings, 2009). The story was also fueled with the racist overtones, which alluded to the rich white athletes who sexually abused the poor inner-city black female stripper. This case is a reminder of the destructive power of racism fueled by political correctness and a desire to gain political influence by any means.
References: Duke director of athletics Joe Alleva to take similar post at LSU. (2008, April 04). Retrieved from http://today.duke.edu/2008/04/alleva.htm Duke lacrosse accuser Crystal Mangum charges in stabbing Falsely-accused duke lacrosse players seek millions, reforms. (2007, September 08). Retrieved from http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3008640. Ford, R. (2006). Duke and diversity. Public Relations Tactics, 13(7), 6. Jennings, M. (2009). Business ethics: Case studies and selected readings (6th Ed). Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning. Krauss, M. (2007). Until proven innocent: Political correctness and the shameful injustices of the Duke lacrosse rape case, by Stuart Taylor, Jr., and KC Johnson. Academic Questions, 21(1), 114-121. Middleton, M. (1982). Should judges blow the whistle on lawyers? American Bar Association Journal, 68(10), 1207. Montaldo, C. (2007, January 24). Nifong facing more serious ethic charges. Retrieved from http://crime.about.com/od/current/a/dukelacrosse.htm Pressler drops lawsuit. (2010, March 31). Retrieved from http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5045316 Richman, L