Decision not to prosecute Notre Dame footballer/Lizzy Seeberg case a no win for everyone
By: Sean O'Shea | Published Saturday, December 18, 2010, 10:25 AM | Updated Friday, September 9, 2011, 9:58 PM
The decision not to prosecute in the Lizzy Seeberg case, involving an alleged attack by a
Notre Dame football player, brings to an end an incident that reflects well on no one.
Seeberg later committed suicide but had a troubled mental history.
The county prosecutor has found that he can not proceed because the only evidence he has is the word of a now dead young woman which makes her statements inadmissible in court.
This is one of those cases where there is no relief or vindication for anyone.
Disturbingly, from the Notre Dame point of view is a comment by the prosecutor that it has been confirmed that a friend of the player texted her saying "Don't do anything you would regret. Messing with Notre Dame football is a bad idea."
If that is not an implied threat then I don't know what is.
However,according to the Chicago Tribune prosecutors have found the text did not amount to criminal harassment, because “the student subjectively believed Ms. Seeberg’s complaint was false, and therefore had a legitimate purpose for his text message.”
Given that Seeberg has obvious depression issues to begun with there is no question that such a text could have sent her over the edge or at the very least made her very fearful.
On the other hand we do not know what transpired between the football player and the young girl and have only known that she complained to campus police but his side has not become public.
Whatever the truth is, it is deeply unfortunate for the university and for the young girl's family that this dreadful affair happened.
But like many things in life there appears to be no clear resolution.
That is effectively what the prosecutor was saying yesterday.
3 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.bigd57irish | Dec 31, 2010, 12:33 AM EST
I'm quite disturbed about this, but in reality it could have happened anywhere at any time and probably did.It is only newsworthy because it is Notre Dame
PhlutiePhan | Dec 19, 2010, 01:55 PM EST
This was not handled well at all by Notre Dame. It is obvious that campus security were under orders from Reverend Jenkins to go "easy" on the investigation. The wording of the text is horrific. What arrogance! To state that any information from the girl is heresay based on the fact that she is dead is ignorant and rude. This could have been worded better by your column. Compare this investigation and professionalism with that afforded to those who protested the president's appearance on campus. They are still being forced to run back and forth to and from campus. This is a right of free speech which is being stomped on by ND. Is it any surprise that an "unknown detective" kept notes that he forgot to turn in? This could have been handled in a professional manner from the start and everything would have been okay. Now, everyone is unhappy and a girl is dead.
JosephOCasey | Dec 19, 2010, 10:05 AM EST
Murphy, you have no idea what you are talking about. There was never a rape charge. The young lady said as much. She accused the young man of touching her breasts. While this is clearly a sad situation, as she took her own life afterwards, it is also blown way out of proportion. This situation may have pushed her over the edge, but you can't hang all of this on the player. She clearly had depression issues long before this encounter. I hope her family can come to terms with this and move on.