Duke Rape Case

In March, 2006, Crystal Gail Mangum accused three members of the Duke University lacrosse team of sexually assaulting her at an off-campus party. Mangum, who had been hired to perform at the party as a stripper, was later found to have significant inconsistencies in her various accounts of the alleged attack, and District Attorney Mike Nifong resigned and was later disbarred as a result of the ensuing scandal.

Fast Facts

1. Accuser: Crystal Gail Mangum
2. Accused: Collin Finnerty, Reade Seligmann, David Evans
3. Original DA: Mike Nifong
4. Charges dropped: December 22, 2006
5. Nifong later disbarred for role in scandal

Key Dates

• March 13, 2006: Two strippers are hired to perform at Duke lacrosse party
• March 14: Mangum claims to Durham police that three players forced her into a bathroom, sexually assaulted, raped, and sodomized her
• March 23: Entire team provides DNA samples to police
• March 28: Team suspended by University
• April 4: Identifier shown only photos of team in lineup and identifies three "attackers"
• April 10: DNA results show no matches
• April 17: Durham grand jury indicts two players
• April 18: Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann arrested for rape
• May 15: Team Captain David Evans indicted
• November 7: Nifong re-elected to four-year term as District Attorney
• December 21: Accuser changes story in interview with investigator
• December 22: Nifong drops all charges against players
• December 28: North Carolina State Bar files ethics charges against Nifong
• June 12, 2007: Nifong's ethics trial begins
• June 16: Nifong disbarred
• October 5: Players file federal lawsuit against Nifong
• January 15, 2008: Nifong files for bankruptcy

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