Questions-- Legal and Otherwise-- Linger About Rolling Stone UVA Story

Now that Charlottesville Police have suspended the probe into sexual assault claims that stoked turmoil at the University of Virginia, but the story still prompts debate among journalists, lawyers, and victims. Hawes Spencer has that story. Q-SIG 1:27 
 When Rolling Stone issued its article last fall, author Sabrina Rubin Erdely told Slate that she stood by her source, a student called Jackie. "I put her story through the wringer to the extent that I could. I spoke to virtually all of her friends...." 

Columnist Erik Wemple, whose Washington Post colleagues debunked the tale, still can't believe it was published. 

"It was an allegation of extreme criminality, extreme wrongdoing, extreme inhumanity." 

And UVA alumni, like Tim O'Rourke, are still angry.

"It was pretty clear that this whole thing was made up.”

UVA law professor Robert Turner recommends that the fraternity sue the magazine. 

”I would say, ‘Do file suit, and I would be shocked if Rolling Stone doesn’t immediately say, ‘Will you accept this amount or this amount?’” But Charlottesville lawyer Lloyd Snook says a suit could remind the public that, 31 years ago, that fraternity was the site of an alleged gang rape.

"I'm not sure they want that." 

Liz Seccuro was the victim in the notorious 1984 case, and she hopes rapes get handled in court rather than on campus. 

"I think we are a nation turning towards the proper adjudication of these crimes where they belong: with the police, and the DAs, and juries." For some UVA alumni, who feel the school and the fraternity were tarnished, there's at least one thing still missing from the debate, an apology. This is Hawes Spencer.

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