Here comes the race card into the love boat scandal
<TABLE class=articleflag cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=articleflaglogo>
</TD><TD class=articleflagright vAlign=bottom>BOAT030206 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Last update: March 02, 2006 – 12:23 AM
Culpepper raises race issue in boat party charges
David Shaffer and David Chanen, Star Tribune
Attorneys for Minnesota Vikings players Daunte Culpepper and Moe Williams accused a prosecutor Wednesday of selectively charging black men and ignoring possible crimes by two white men in the boat party sex case.
A motion, served on prosecutor Steven Tallen, asks for dismissal of charges against the two players because of racial discrimination. Tallen denied race played any role in the decision to charge.
Culpepper and Williams are among the four players who face trial on misdemeanor charges of indecent conduct and lewdness on two cruise boats last October on Lake Minnetonka. About 90 people, including many Vikings players, were guests.
The party allegedly featured heavy drinking and women giving lap dances and having sex.
The motion papers allege that Hennepin County sheriff's investigators have evidence that the captain of one boat touched a woman's exposed breast with his mouth while he piloted the boat.
This happened immediately after the manager of a strip club paid the woman and also touched her with his mouth, according to the motion papers.
Both of those men are white. Because they have not been named in public documents and were not charged, the Star Tribune is not naming them.
The boat captain declined to comment and the club manager said through an attorney that he has cooperated with investigators and did nothing to "directly break any laws."
Tallen, who prosecutes misdemeanor cases for the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District, accused defense lawyers of playing "the race card" to cloud the real issues.
<TABLE class=articleflag cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=articleflaglogo>
</TD><TD class=articleflagright vAlign=bottom>BOAT030206 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Last update: March 02, 2006 – 12:23 AMCulpepper raises race issue in boat party charges
David Shaffer and David Chanen, Star Tribune
Attorneys for Minnesota Vikings players Daunte Culpepper and Moe Williams accused a prosecutor Wednesday of selectively charging black men and ignoring possible crimes by two white men in the boat party sex case.
A motion, served on prosecutor Steven Tallen, asks for dismissal of charges against the two players because of racial discrimination. Tallen denied race played any role in the decision to charge.
Culpepper and Williams are among the four players who face trial on misdemeanor charges of indecent conduct and lewdness on two cruise boats last October on Lake Minnetonka. About 90 people, including many Vikings players, were guests.
The party allegedly featured heavy drinking and women giving lap dances and having sex.
The motion papers allege that Hennepin County sheriff's investigators have evidence that the captain of one boat touched a woman's exposed breast with his mouth while he piloted the boat.
This happened immediately after the manager of a strip club paid the woman and also touched her with his mouth, according to the motion papers.
Both of those men are white. Because they have not been named in public documents and were not charged, the Star Tribune is not naming them.
The boat captain declined to comment and the club manager said through an attorney that he has cooperated with investigators and did nothing to "directly break any laws."
Tallen, who prosecutes misdemeanor cases for the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District, accused defense lawyers of playing "the race card" to cloud the real issues.
