Says he was told the case came to light in a 911 call reporting racial slurs. (This was Kim Pittman’s fake 911 call.) Officers responded, found no one at home. Saw evidence of a party, kegs of beer, cups, etc. Officer walked around the house. Called in that no one was home.
Later, that same officer responded to a call at Kroger. Mangum was in back seat and “did not want to leave the car.” Officer Shelton “initially” thought he was dealing with a drunk and proceeded “in that manner.” (Damn, he still thinks a rape occurrred!) Later she said she was raped and he sent her to be examined by Tara Levicey. Found evidence consistent with a sexual assault.
As they brought him more material it became clear Off. Shelton didn’t realize it was a sexual assault. (Man, he was zeroed in on sexual assault from the start. This is his social worker training kicking in.) “We were kind of starting off in a hole” because Shelton didn’t realize there had been a horrendous rape (my words).
Media began coming to his office on Monday. Said he “restricted my comments to matters contained in the public record.”
Says it was important to be involved in the case because of the media attention. Says Durham is a diverse place and “things that are said with a racial connotation” carry more weight in Durham than other places. “This might be something that would press some of those buttons.” (Or “this might be something that I could use to press those buttons in the upcoming campaign.)
