FOX News’ Sean Hannity And Megyn Kendall Team Up In Duke Rape Case To Undermine US Legal System
Reported by Ellen - June 11, 2006
Having dispensed with their coverage of NSA spying and its related questions of Constitutionality, Friday night’s (6/9/06) Hannity & Colmes got back to the most important legal issue of our day, the Duke lacrosse team rape case. For the gazillionth time, the Duke case was the “top story” of the day with a double segment. Also for the gazillionth time, Sean Hannity and reporter Megyn Kendall did their best to acquit the rich, white Duke lacrosse players in advance of any trial by reporting all of the defense talking points that could be squeezed into the segment. But more important than their blatant attempts to acquit were Hannity’s and Kendall’s not-so-thinly-veiled attempts to interfere with America’s justice system and appoint themselves judge and jury instead.
Kendall, who just two weeks ago, “speculated” that the accuser’s injuries may have been PMS, not rape, dropped that “diagnosis” without explanation Friday night. Now Kendall was saying, “People did conclude that she had injuries consistent with rape BUT they did not find evidence to support her claims to police that she was strangled, hit and kicked inside of that bathroom so there is an inconsistency there.” That’s quite a departure from Kendall’s statement on 5/22 when, after describing the medical report on the accuser, Kendall told Alan Colmes, “You know that – some would argue – is not necessarily a sign of rape so much as a sign of premenstrual syndrome or something like that.” But nobody asked Kendall about her own inconsistency.
College-dropout Sean Hannity, however, was ready with his own “expert” medical, forensic and legal opinions. “Some of these injuries may be consistent with somebody that had a frequent amount of sex and they’re saying here potentially as many as four separate men in this particular case.”
Kendall then moved on to her next goal, discrediting the DA. “The thing that’s shocking, Sean,” Kendall declared, “is that (DA Nifong) pursued these charges in the first instance, notwithstanding the fact that that he knew all of this. And we’ve been thinking all along that perhaps he learned some of this as the case went along.” What’s really shocking is that a “reporter” would be allowed to speculate like this when she has admitted repeatedly to Colmes that she has gotten all her information from the defense attorneys while DA Nifong has remained quiet. In fact, Kendall made the same admission earlier in the same show but that never stops her from reporting her premature conclusions.
“I have never seen a case that could go forward with absolutely no evidence and such explosive exculpatory evidence,” “Judge” Hannity proclaimed, jabbing his finger in the air. “Based on everything I’ve heard here, these boys did not commit this rape in any way, fashion or – anyway, they’re not capable of it based on what we now know.”
“Again, it’s one side that’s coming out,” Colmes said as he interrupted to take his turn. Comment: Colmes has consistently advocated reserving judgment until all the evidence is revealed at trial. He also has consistently brought out that nearly all Kendall's information comes from the defense.
“But let me just make this point if I could,” Kendall insisted, perhaps sensing that she might not have another opportunity to condemn the accuser once Colmes took over the discussion. She rattled off another defense talking point that nobody had asked her about. “The thing that I personally found one of the most damaging things in this report of the accuser’s story is that Kim Roberts, the second dancer, testified in this paper that when the accuser got back in her car (Kendall waved the report in front of the camera) - this is after the alleged rape took place - the accuser said to Kim Roberts (Kendall’s eyes widened with theatrical outrage), and I quote, ‘She then told me that we should go back into the house because there was more money to be made there.’ That’s AFTER the alleged rape.” Kendall underscored her condemnation of the accuser by giving a disapproving look into the camera.
“If that’s true,” Colmes pointed out, something that purportedly fair and balanced Kendall neglected to consider.
Hannity, however, accepted Kendall’s statement without question and called it “a great point.” Hannity continued, “That is devastating. That is devastating to the accuser and the DA’s case.”
Comment: If it's true that, as Roger Ailes says, "We like America," at FOX News, why is he allowing Hannity and Kendall to undermine its legal system?
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