'60 Minutes' features former Duke lacrosse coach

Former Duke men’s lacrosse coach Mike Pressler’s forced resignation was featured in a “60 Minutes” broadcast aired Sunday.

CBS’ “60 Minutes” featured Pressler in an episode entitled “Rush To Judgment,” which focused on the Duke lacrosse case that took place nine years ago this month. Sunday’s episode was the most prominent interview Pressler has given in relation to his forced resignation. “60 Minutes” also featured interviews with Chris Kennedy, Duke deputy director of athletics, who was on the record saying Pressler should not have been forced to resign by then-Director of Athletics Joe Alleva.

“I think that in some quarters of the University administration, there was some belief this may have happened and that if that’s the case, they had to respond,” Kennedy said to “60 Minutes.” “I think that a lot of officials at the university have come to the realization or came to the realization within a year or so that probably, Mike shouldn’t have lost his job.”

Kennedy and Duke Athletics both declined to comment on the episode Monday.

The piece—headed by correspondent Armen Keteyian—highlighted the University’s rush to judgment when three men’s lacrosse team players were accused of rape in March 2006. Pressler was forced out in April and was the only administrator to lose his job throughout the entire duration of the case.

In April 2007, the three players had all charges dropped by N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper. Durham district attorney Michael Nifong, who at the time in 2006 was in the midst of a reelection campaign, was disbarred for dishonesty in June 2007. Pressler contributed to the Don Yeager book “It’s Not About the Truth: The Untold Story of the Duke Lacrosse Case and the Lives It Shattered” in 2008.

Nine years later, the case still hangs over the University, with few administrators going on-record at length to discuss the incident.

Leading up to an interview with Kennedy, Keteyian said that Kennedy had told him that Duke officials had come to Kennedy and said, “And I quote, ‘It was not in Duke’s interest or his to talk to us on camera.’”