The Price of Silence: The Duke Lacrosse Scandal, the Power of the Elite, and the Corruption of Our Great Universities

Top-notch investigative journalism defines this examination of “one of the most improbable legal sagas in American history,” by journalist Cohan (Money and Power). According to Cohan, the 2006 indictment of three of the university’s lacrosse players on charges of sexual assault “served as a lightning rod... for complex issues of race, sex, violence, privilege and elitism that had been simmering at Duke for decades.” Cohan’s meticulous account utilizes commentary, court records, and interviews to tell a story of “legal hijinks and media histrionics” and their devastating results. With chilling clarity, Cohan traces how public opinion, initially buoyed by negative media reports, first accused the players of maintaining a “wall of silence” and then turned against the alleged victim and the zealous Durham district attorney. Cohan perceptively plumbs the festering tensions of “racism, sexism, misogyny, alcohol culture, paternalism, economic exploitation, athlete impunity” and perceptions of Duke’s “entitlement and privilege.” What emerges is not just an edge-of-your-seat courtroom drama and a cautionary tale, but also an illuminating fable about the power of status, talent, authority, and belief. Throughout, Cohan’s spare prose and objective tone cast his subjects in a humane light, even when their behavior is stunning. This weighty tome will no doubt prove the definitive account of the case. Agent: Joy Harris, Joy Harris Literary Agency. (Apr.)