DURHAM, N.C. – State prosecutors in charge of the Duke lacrosse investigation on Thursday toured the off-campus house where a woman told police she was assaulted at a team party held a year ago this week.
"This is all just part of their review and examination of the case," said Jennifer Canada, a spokeswoman for North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper.
Cooper was among the officials who spent about 20 minutes at the home where Duke's highly-ranked lacrosse team threw a spring break party last March 13.
One of the two strippers hired to perform at the party said three men raped her in a bathroom, an allegation that led Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong to win indictments against players Dave Evans, Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty.
Late last year, Nifong dropped rape charges after the 28-year-old accuser changed a key detail of her account of the alleged attack. The players, who have steadfastly maintained their innocence, still face charges of sexual offense and kidnapping.
Nifong asked Cooper's office to take over the investigation in January, after the state bar charged him with several ethics violations tied to his conduct in the case. If convicted of the ethics violations, Nifong could be disbarred.
"At this point, we expect the investigation to wrap up in the next few weeks," Canada told the News & Observer of Raleigh. "Our attorneys have continued to interview witnesses and investigate evidence."
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