Abstract
The Duke lacrosse team rape case showcased how race and the criminal justice system can intersect in troubling ways. This is not news to students of the history of race in America. What makes this case unusual is white men were the ones who were mistreated by the police, prosecutor, media, and others, all of who used the rape allegations to further their cause rather than to seek justice. This book review essay examines three recent books that describe and analyze the Duke scandal.
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Grisham, J. (2006). An innocent man. New York: Doubleday.
Humes, E. (1999). Mean justice. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Scheck, B., Neufeld, P., & Dwyer, J. (2001). Actual innocence. New York: Signet.
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Bruce Springsteen, “American Skin” on Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Live in New York City (2000). The song was inspired by the killing of Amadou Diallo by several New York City police officers, who fired 41 shots at him when he failed to quickly respond to their commands. As performed in concert, the phrase “41 shots” is repeated 41 times during the course of the song. Lyrics can be found at http://www.brucestringsteen.net
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Hemmens, C. American Skin: The Duke Lacrosse Rape Scandal and the Intersection of Race, Class, Gender, and Injustice. Am J Crim Just 33, 297–306 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-008-9037-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-008-9037-z