This purported "tape"

[CIL]

Note, this post is not accusing posters of trolling or not trolling, rather, it is merely an attempt to reasonably discuss said "tape."

I am not commenting on Fine either way here, because I would rather allow the facts to make themselves known before reacting either way, as I think we as fans could ride this emotional roller coaster for the better part of a season.

I'm not denying a tape exists, but I think we need to ask a few questions before reacting to the rumor.

1. Why would the Syraucse Police give the tape to ESPN before finishing their investigation, or releasing it themselves at a press conference?

2. If is not affiliated to the PD, rather it is in possession of the accusers, why wouldn't ESPN release this when they first published the OTL piece?

3. Do you think the wife of a child molester would knowingly allow him to continue his acts, even with his own children in the house?

A tape may very well exist, but if I would have to make an educated guess, it could be Fine's wife telling the accuser "to get over it", which can be interpreted in probably 200 different ways. The other conclusion is that the accusers have some tape, which could be interpreted as an attempt to blackmail the family.

It appears as if this is an adult game of telephone, with perhaps someone in the SPD telling someone else "a tape exists," which in turn because "oh no, a tape exists with Bernie molesting a kid on it" or something to the effect.

 

[CUSEBB1]

Maybe the SPD put out false information to try to scare Bernie into coming forward b4 it(false tape)is released.Like when the cops have a free tv giveaways and send letters to only people with warrants out for their arrests that they have won a tv..

 

[edowd26]

Maybe the SPD put out false information to try to scare Bernie into coming forward b4 it(false tape)is released.Like when the cops have a free tv giveaways and send letters to only people with warrants out for their arrests that they have won a tv..

That sounds like entrapment.

 

[CUSEBB1]

But they do it with people with warrants all the time.With the free give away thing.Also with that show caught on tape.With men that find kids on the internet and arrange to meet them.But then it turns out to be a setup by the cops.

 

[edowd26]

But they do it with people with warrants all the time.With the free give away thing.

i think you'd have to have a warrant, and its to get them to show up so they can arrest the person

 

[Dick_in_MI]

That sounds like entrapment.

Not if they give them a TV

Also, is it possible to entrap somebody when there is a warrant out for them? Isn't that called "capturing the perp"?

 

[CUSEBB1]

Not if they give them a TV

Also, is it possible to entrap somebody when there is a warrant out for them? Isn't that called "capturing the perp"?

Not if its a guy who met a kid on the internet and goes to meet her(the cops). Sure they don't have a warrant out for them. Some could,but i doubt all do.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Agree, Cil people better check their stomachs the next few weeks, just yesterday at the game I hear something from people that I respect that made me really really worried, right then and there I decided there is too much info out there that may or may not be true

 

[cmr27]

From an SU standpoint, potential entrapment/how the tape was obtained wouldn't matter, only its contents would. That's because the bar for significant harm to SU's reputation is much lower than the threshold for evidence and conviction in this case.

Question three is a great one. I'm sure there are similarities in the psychological make-up of the spouses and family members of pervs but couldn't begin to guess what they are. I thought Michael Jackson was clearly a child molester, for example, but his family backed him to the limit, probably because they thought maintaining the family name and Jackson brand was worth the risk of letting other kids around him.

 

[kingottoiii]

4. When was the tape made?

If it was pre 2005 then the tape can't be "damning" because if it was then the PS or ESPN would have ran the story back then and SU would have fired Fine or forced him to retire at the age of 60.

If it was post 2005 then why did he not go back to the SPD, PS, ESPN, or SU with said tape?

And if the tape was made this week, then I question it entirely. As well as ESPN's involvement.

5. Where is the civil suit?

The SPD cannot do a damn thing because of SOL. So why did these guys even bother going to the SPD or ESPN? Why not go find a lawyer and present that you and your step brother were molested and that you have a "damning" tape. Even if you cannot currently afford a lawyer, if you have a strong case they will take it on for a percentage of your settlement. So why go public with it and have the public form an opinion?

After they decided to go to ESPN why did they not offer the tape to them? Why go to the SPD? They already told you in 2003 that they can't do anything because of SOL. That doesn't change with a tape.

Even now I am sure a ton of lawyers have contacted them since ESPN aired this. If they don't file a civil suit soon, that tells me they have no case. And that this is all a means to smear Bernie.

 

[SoBristol]

4. When was the tape made?

If it was pre 2005 then the tape can't be "damning" because if it was then the PS or ESPN would have ran the story back then and SU would have fired Fine or forced him to retire at the age of 60.

If it was post 2005 then why did he not go back to the SPD, PS, ESPN, or SU with said tape?

And if the tape was made this week, then I question it entirely. As well as ESPN's involvement.

5. Where is the civil suit?

The SPD cannot do a damn thing because of SOL. So why did these guys even bother going to the SPD or ESPN? Why not go find a lawyer and present that you and your step brother were molested and that you have a "damning" tape. Even if you cannot currently afford a lawyer, if you have a strong case they will take it on for a percentage of your settlement. So why go public with it and have the public form an opinion?

After they decided to go to ESPN why did they not offer the tape to them? Why go to the SPD? They already told you in 2003 that they can't do anything because of SOL. That doesn't change with a tape.

Even now I am sure a ton of lawyers have contacted them since ESPN aired this. If they don't file a civil suit soon, that tells me they have no case. And that this is all a means to smear Bernie.

Civil suit by Davies? They have SOL in civil cases. SOL is tolled while he is a minor, but that tolling period ended long ago. And it's been another 9 years since he began raising this issue with the newspaper.

 

[longislandcuse]

This alleged tape that has become a story of lore over the past 18 hours on this board is the only reason im not 100% sure that we and Bernie Fine are in the clear. Maybe people are hearing things from SPD, maybe its true what theyre hearing, maybe theres a tape, maybe theres not, maybe its damaging, maybe its not but one thing is for sure the facts as we have them would lead any rational person to side with Bernie Fine.

Is it possible people are hearing about this tape and alleged "bad things" from SPD from here? That all this ominous feeling and people hearing stuff from reputable people is all originating from a few posts on Syracusefan.com?

The details surrounding this alleged tape just dont add up much like Davis' story. If OTL doesnt run anything new this morning then it doesnt make sense what they are waiting for. They are getting absolutely lit up in the court of public opinion, if there was anytime to drop the bomb, the time would be now.

I trust JB, I trust JB knows more about this case than us, and JB looks as confident and defiant as ever.

 

[pfister1]

There is no entrapment in this situation. Entrapment is when law enforcement does something to induce an alleged criminal to engage in criminal activity they would have otherwise been unlikely to engage in.

Getting a statement from someone relative to actions that had previously occurred is not entrapment.

 

[RF2044]

Tend to agree, CIL. Any tape of this type would be primarily circumstantial in nature--not a smoking gun. If it were, ESPN would have led off with it. And if the police had a smoking gun, Fine would already be in stocks.

I doubt it's anything to get worked up about.

 

[scottynguyen]

Only thing I've gathered from this thread is that somebody is giving away free TVs and I demand to know who it is and where I can pick mine up.

 

[alphaorange]

If the DA had a tape, wouldn't they have to turn it over to BF's lawyers asap as well? And if that happened, wouldn't there be a lot of frantic movement figuring out how to handle it?

 

[dash-30-dash]

no charges have been filed against bernie. There is no discovery for the defense. But since the SOL has expired, what good would any tape do the police?

 

[cusetown1]

There is no tape.

 

[longislandcuse]

There is no tape.

Im starting to agree. It was supposed to come out today. Ya ok...

 

[cusetown1]

Im starting to agree. It was supposed to come out today. Ya ok...

"a tape" that is so 90's. Couldn't they have at least used a cell phone?

 

[longislandcuse]

"a tape" that is so 90's. Couldn't they have at least used a cell phone?

Haha, seriously dirty texts/naked Bernie Fine pics. Doesnt Bernie know crotch shots are all the rage in scandal these days?

 

[cmr27]

The NY Daily News said Syracuse police have opened a "tip line" people can call if theu have information, which tells me they have some probable cause but it's not solid enough to charge Bernie yet. Which is good. Because that means Davis hasn't given them enough over the years, as of now, to arrest Bernie, despite ESPN convicting the guy in the media.

The downside is that it means this story isn't going away soon. We're hoping that the matter will die down if nothing new gets added in the next week. But that tip line means the cops are going to be chasing every half-baked call for as long as the phone is ringing. It's an open invitation to trolls and loons. I really question it as a police tactic. Anyone with serious proof who is going to come forward will know where to find the SPD. They aren't going to need a tipline. It seems like a bit of a reach on the SPD's part -- not quite a witch hunt yet, but a reach.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Civil suit by Davies? They have SOL in civil cases. SOL is tolled while he is a minor, but that tolling period ended long ago. And it's been another 9 years since he began raising this issue with the newspaper.

One of ESPN's legal experts said on Friday that it's too late for both civil and criminal proceedings.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

The NY Daily News said Syracuse police have opened a "tip line" people can call if theu have information, which tells me they have some probable cause but it's not solid enough to charge Bernie yet. Which is good. Because that means Davis hasn't given them enough over the years, as of now, to arrest Bernie, despite ESPN convicting the guy in the media. The downside is that it means this story isn't going away soon. We're hoping that the matter will die down if nothing new gets added in the next week. But that tip line means the cops are going to be chasing every half-baked call for as long as the phone is ringing. It's an open invitation to all kinds of trolls and loons.

SPD is conducting an investigation. A tip line is just standard procedure.

It means that SPD has nothing.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Its CYA for the cops just the like DA's statement was CYA for them. Unfortunately the only way these organizations can clear themselves fully is to create a case against Fine. For it just to continue open ended is not politically feasible for them.