Until proven guilty
By Andrew Eastman
Published on Tuesday, August 14, 2007
To the Editor:
In her guest column ("Questions for Theta Delt," Aug. 7), Laurel Peak asserts that to report Kappa's accusation of harassment by Theta Delt is deplorable because it shifts the onus of blame to Kappa, as the accuser, rather than to Theta Delt, as the alleged perpetrator. She is entirely incorrect. Americans accept the notion of "innocent until proven guilty," and the article to which she refers ("Kappas accuse Theta Delt of harassment," Aug. 3) reflects this approach in its headline, as opposed to what Ms. Peak has "heard and read," not "seen."
Circumventing such basic tenets in the name of self-righteous indignation is the kind of thing that cost Prosecutor Mike Nifong his job down in North Carolina after he wrongly ruined three Duke athletes' lives with false allegations before all the facts were in.
Andrew Eastman '07
St. Louis, Mo.