Statement by John F. Burness on New Indictment in Lacrosse Case
Monday, May 15, 2006
John F. Burness is senior vice president for public affairs and government relations at Duke
Durham, N.C. -- Over the past several weeks, Duke University officials and
others in our community have emphasized the importance of not
rushing to judgment and letting the legal system establish the
truth regarding the incident of March 13. Today a grand jury handed
down an indictment against David Evans, who just graduated from
Duke and was among the occupants of the house at 610 N. Buchanan
Blvd. It is important to remember that an indictment is not a
conviction. Ultimately, the District Attorney will be responsible
for presenting his evidence, and a jury will decide the innocence
or guilt of Mr. Evans and the other two young men who have been
charged. As Duke President Richard H. Brodhead has said
consistently, a person in our legal system is innocent until proven
guilty. It is worth repeating again today that these latest charges
do not mean the accused are guilty. That is for a jury to
decide.
From the start, our campus and the Durham community have faced the challenge of balancing compassion with judgment. We all hope that the legal process will proceed to a speedy resolution so that everyone can know the truth.