The charge of rape clings to the accused forever, regardless of an acquittal. That?s why it?s imperative that evidence leading to the charge be so strong as to be undeniable.
That was not the case with U.S. Naval Academy cadet Lamar Owens Jr.
Last week a military jury acquitted the former quarterback of raping a female midshipman. Jury members convicted him instead with conduct unbecoming an officer and for violating an order to stay away from his accuser.
And it is not the case with the three Duke University lacrosse players charged with rape, kidnapping and sexual offense of a stripper they hired for a party.
The accuser has changed her story numerous timesand defense attorneys say DNA evidence does not link the three to her claims. The case is not expected to go to trial before spring 2007.
But what is clear is that the conduct of Owens and of every member of the Duke lacrosse team that attended the party the charges emerged from was highly unbecoming at the very least.
In the case of Owens, the Naval Academy requires cadets to show courage, leadership, respect and moral character.
Getting drunk and “hooking up” shows a total disregard for military rules and expectations.
Remember, this is someone who could ultimately be responsible for commanding an aircraft carrier and sending his charges into harm?s way.
With the lacrosse players, team members repeatedly clashed with neighbors for their drunken, rude behavior.
A D.C. judge sentenced one of the three charged, Collin Finnerty, with misdemeanor assault in an unrelated charge earlier this month for a fight in Georgetown last November. Team members clearly do not think campus rules or the law apply to them.
That is the real problem in these two cases.
Human behavior shows us that type of behavior often does not occur without the tacit approval of coaches, school administrators and even parents. They ignore immoral and uncivil behavior in their varsity athletes, especially those in high-profile sports such as lacrosse and football, because of their status on campus and off.
Doing so perpetuates a culture of entitlement that does nothing to help athletes adjust to life post sports. And it allows behavior that can lead to criminal charges to exist.
If parents, coaches and administrators want to prevent future rape and other criminal cases, they will hold varsity athletes accountable to the same rules and laws that the rest of us must follow. That way, varsity athletes? extraordinary talent and energy can be shaped intobuilding lives worthy of the adulation our celebrity culture so lamely grants those who only show potential on the field.
