Duke Lacrosse Story Fades to Black?
After 14 months of news coverage, locals hope the media has moved on.
June 17, 2007 — -- The word on the street around Duke University is that the Duke lacrosse story has outlived its shelf life.
In the 14 months that the case has dragged on, the Duke story has grabbed the attention and the air time of media outlets across the country. Durham, N.C., dwellers say they have Duke fatigue.
University employee Ankoor Shah lives about two miles from the school, and says he's tired of the politics he has seen play out on TV.
"I'm kind of sick of the finger-pointing. The whole thing has been overblown," Shah said.
With the media's lenses focused on Durham, Shah is glad the case has drawn to a close.
"I think the community feels more annoyance than excitement with all the media attention," he said.
ABC News producer Lara Setrakian has covered the Duke Lacrosse story and agrees with Shah.
"The Durham community needed this to be over," Setrakian said. "They have been dragged through an intense 14 months of media attention and public scrutiny because of the way one man handled one case."
Setrakian was there when the media descended upon Durham. She said, at times, the city couldn't accommodate the media mob.
"Satellite trucks would line the streets and hotel rooms would sell out as a swarm of national media came to cover the case," she said.
Now that District Attorney Mike Nifong has been disbarred, the media may be on its way out. Shah said, from what he's seen, the media has moved on.
But not everyone thinks this story will disappear. Former North Carolina Attorney General Rufus Edmisten thinks the story will linger because the judge in the case still has jurisdiction to hold Nifong in contempt of court if interested parties pursue those charges.Edmisten says people are still tuning into the story because, although the legal community is satisfied with Nifong's disbarment, the larger Durham community does not feel a sense of closure.
Despite interest in the story, it looks like the media parade is leaving.
"The high intensity moments are over," Setrakian said.
Edmisten said the chairman of the hearing in the case referred to the events as a dangerous soap opera.
So, while further legal movement in the case may be in store, at least for the residents of Durham, this show is fading to black.