Alleged Duke Rape Victim Wants Her Life Back

ByABC News via logo
April 19, 2006, 9:37 AM

April 19, 2006— -- The alleged victim in the Duke University lacrosse rape case is "doing as well as can be expected," her cousin says.

The woman at the center of the rape scandal is a 27-year-old African-American student from North Carolina Central University and mother. Since the alleged attack, she has been in seclusion and under a doctor's care. Her cousin, who wants only to be called Jackie, spoke on "Good Morning America" on her behalf.

"She's exhausted, emotionally and physically, but she's happy that the arrests were made," Jackie said.

On Tuesday, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann, both sophomores on the Duke lacrosse team, turned themselves in to authorities in Durham, N.C.

They were charged with first-degree forcible rape, first-degree sexual offense and kidnapping. The alleged rape victim says she was attacked at an off-campus party for the team on March 13.

Defense attorneys say that bank records, cell phone bills, and photographs prove that one of the defendants did not commit the alleged crime.

"I can tell you that they have evidence in the form of an alibi that will clearly show at the alleged time of the rape, one of [the accused] specifically could not have been there," said James Williams, an attorney for one of the team's senior captains.

Lawyers for the lacrosse players have said that the alleged victim was intoxicated and that the lack of DNA evidence shows that none of the team members assaulted her. However, Jackie insisted that her cousin did not make up her story and said that it was a "big possibility" that her cousin could have consumed a drugged drink at the party.