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2 reviews for:
It's Not about the Truth: The Untold Story of the Duke Lacrosse Case and the Lives It Shattered
Don Yaeger
3.67 AVERAGE
2 reviews for:
It's Not about the Truth: The Untold Story of the Duke Lacrosse Case and the Lives It Shattered
Don Yaeger
3.67 AVERAGE
I decided to pick up this book after watching ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary, Fantastic Lies, which provided a deeper look into the events surrounding the Duke Lacrosse case. As a Duke alumni, I realized that I knew very little about everything that happened and how the Duke administration responded to this issue. It's Not About the Truth is one of the few books out there that can provide even more insight into the case, and I eagerly read it to learn more.
Something to note: this book is a one-sided affair. One of the main contributors to this novel is Mike Pressler, the Duke Lacrosse coach who believed his players were innocent and was judged and condemned as a result. He was threatened, his family was threatened, and their lives were upended from this case. As a result, this book will be an emotional read as they describe those events, and let's just say that it does not have flowerly, praising words for those that perpetuated his and his family's hardship.
The main focus of this book is on Nifong's dealings and the lack of support from the Duke administration and faculty (or in the Group of 88's case, condemnation of the players). Very little is told from the perspective of the players, particularily the three indicted, so I wish there could have more input from them. However, the details provided by Pressler painted a very clear picture of how the players were treated and the injustice done to them by Nifong and members of the Durham police force. It was also upsetting, especially as an alumni, to learn that the Duke administration did nothing to protect their students, and the players had to fight to prove their innocence before garnering any type of support. It is a truly powerful read.
This case is being used even now in multiple law classes, and I'm hoping that we all continue to learn from this incident. Even now, I take everything the media says and/or portrays with a grain of salt. It's so unfortunate that this happened, and it's saddening to think that future victims could be negatively affected by this case and that so many lives were shattered.
Something to note: this book is a one-sided affair. One of the main contributors to this novel is Mike Pressler, the Duke Lacrosse coach who believed his players were innocent and was judged and condemned as a result. He was threatened, his family was threatened, and their lives were upended from this case. As a result, this book will be an emotional read as they describe those events, and let's just say that it does not have flowerly, praising words for those that perpetuated his and his family's hardship.
The main focus of this book is on Nifong's dealings and the lack of support from the Duke administration and faculty (or in the Group of 88's case, condemnation of the players). Very little is told from the perspective of the players, particularily the three indicted, so I wish there could have more input from them. However, the details provided by Pressler painted a very clear picture of how the players were treated and the injustice done to them by Nifong and members of the Durham police force. It was also upsetting, especially as an alumni, to learn that the Duke administration did nothing to protect their students, and the players had to fight to prove their innocence before garnering any type of support. It is a truly powerful read.
This case is being used even now in multiple law classes, and I'm hoping that we all continue to learn from this incident. Even now, I take everything the media says and/or portrays with a grain of salt. It's so unfortunate that this happened, and it's saddening to think that future victims could be negatively affected by this case and that so many lives were shattered.
I had forgotten all about this book that I listened to while mowing last year. I stumbled across it on Amazon while looking for something else, and was reminded that I wanted to read another account of the incident: [b:Until Proven Innocent Political Correctness and the Shameful Injustices of the Duke Lacrosse Rape Case|537059|Until Proven Innocent Political Correctness and the Shameful Injustices of the Duke Lacrosse Rape Case|Stuart Taylor|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266579909s/537059.jpg|524498].
The Yaeger book certainly held my interest and generated a suitable amount of rage at the way the whole thing was handled. Even though the main source was clearly the coach, the extraordinary narcissism and stupidity of the players, the political ambition of the DA, the shallowness of the reporting, the self-serving faculty, and the general all-around incompetence of the university administrators comes across very nicely. The book (and other reports) reveal a society fractured by multiple groups, each having an agenda, and no one, it seems, willing to examine his own order of business. It also reveals the absolute necessity, if you are charged with something, of having deep pockets and access to good lawyers.
Pressler, as one would expect, appears the least culpable, but I remember thinking while listening, how divorced he seemed to be from supervision of these little rich white kids. Rape charges aside, no one seemed to question the unseemliness of getting hammered at a drinking party with a bunch of strippers.
The book and events that have unfolded since, have reinforced my resolve never to read or listen to the mindless simultaneous speculation of bloggers and pundits, and to wait a couple of years until the book comes out. Sure, I'll be behind the times, but at least I'll have a factual idea of what really happened. I do have to wonder, however, how events would have unfolded if the lacrosse players had been black with no money, and the stripper white.
I reserve total judgement until I've had a chance to review the other book.
The Yaeger book certainly held my interest and generated a suitable amount of rage at the way the whole thing was handled. Even though the main source was clearly the coach, the extraordinary narcissism and stupidity of the players, the political ambition of the DA, the shallowness of the reporting, the self-serving faculty, and the general all-around incompetence of the university administrators comes across very nicely. The book (and other reports) reveal a society fractured by multiple groups, each having an agenda, and no one, it seems, willing to examine his own order of business. It also reveals the absolute necessity, if you are charged with something, of having deep pockets and access to good lawyers.
Pressler, as one would expect, appears the least culpable, but I remember thinking while listening, how divorced he seemed to be from supervision of these little rich white kids. Rape charges aside, no one seemed to question the unseemliness of getting hammered at a drinking party with a bunch of strippers.
The book and events that have unfolded since, have reinforced my resolve never to read or listen to the mindless simultaneous speculation of bloggers and pundits, and to wait a couple of years until the book comes out. Sure, I'll be behind the times, but at least I'll have a factual idea of what really happened. I do have to wonder, however, how events would have unfolded if the lacrosse players had been black with no money, and the stripper white.
I reserve total judgement until I've had a chance to review the other book.