Van Der Sloot, Nancy Grace, and the Duke Lacrosse Case

I try not to rush to judgement, but this Van Der Sloot guy sure makes it hard. I am actually watching Nancy Grace, which I haven't done in years. I used to be a fan of hers. That is until the Duke Lacrosse scandal a few years ago. I watched Nancy demonize the players--whom I didn't consider choirboys by any means---but never heard much (if anything) from her when the charges were dismissed. In how many other cases had she influenced how I viewed a case, regardless of the facts?

Speaking of the Duke Lacrosse scandal...Some people were suprised that I didn't join the gang who banged pots and pans outside of the players' house the day after the charges hit the press. A close friend said to me, "I thought you of all people would be on her [the victim's side]."

This caused me pause even though I knew she had made that comment because I had served as as a victim's advocate with People Against Rape when I lived in South Carolina. "Well, I DO try to hold off until all of the facts have been brought to light," I told her.

But it was hard not to rush to judgement in the Duke Lacrosse case. After all, there was DNA evidence. Nancy Grace was screaming about this evidence from her studio in NYC every night into my TV set! So it must be true. Who would have ever imagined the prosecuter would have falsefied the results?

So I am really trying to keep an open mind in the Van Der Sloot saga. But it's hard. It's damn hard.

Keep Jonesin'