Duke Reaches Settlement With Accused Players

DURHAM, N.C. — Duke University has reached an undisclosed financial settlement with three former lacrosse players falsely accused of rape, the school said yesterday.Duke suspended Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty, and Dave Evans after they were charged last year with raping a stripper at an off-campus party. The university also canceled the team’s season and forced their coach to resign.“We welcomed their exoneration and deeply regret the difficult year they and their families have had to endure,” the school said in a statement. “These young men and their families have been the subject of intense scrutiny that has taken a heavy toll.”The allegations were debunked in April by state prosecutors, who said the players were the innocent victims of a “tragic rush to accuse” by Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong. He was disbarred Saturday for breaking more than two dozen rules of professional conduct in his handling of the case.The players’ families racked up millions of dollars of legal bills in their defense, and appear likely to file a lawsuit against Mr. Nifong.The players said in a joint statement that they hoped the agreement would “begin to bring the Duke family back together again.”“The events of the last year tore the Duke community apart, and forcibly separated us from the university we love,” they said. “We were the victims of a rogue prosecutor concerned only with winning an election, and others determined to railroad three Duke lacrosse players and to diminish the reputation of Duke University.”Also yesterday, Mr. Nifong released a letter to Governor Easley saying that he planned to leave office July 13. He announced plans to resign during his five-day ethics trial last week but had not set a departure date.A disciplinary committee of the North Carolina State Bar concluded Saturday that Mr. Nifong had lied to the court, made inflammatory statements about the three indicted players and their teammates, and withheld critical DNA evidence from defense attorneys. After some administrative steps, Mr. Nifong will have 30 days to turn in his law license.Mr. Nifong also sent his resignation letter to Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson, who is overseeing a pending request to remove Mr. Nifong from office.“It is my fervent hope that this action will spare this community the further anguish a removal hearing would entail and will allow the healing process to move forward,” Mr. Nifong wrote.There was no word on whom Mr. Easley will chose to replace Mr. Nifong.

Duke Reaches Settlement With Accused Players

Duke Reaches Settlement With Accused Players

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