This is the problem. Already, many people who see/read this story will assume it to be true even if no one is charged. It's one of the faults with reporting information before it's been hashed out in the legal process. Drawing comparison to the Patrick Kane rape accusation, many people believe or at least suspect he did it, when the case against him as in fact been dropped. I deeply appreciate the media and their job, but, it is a dilemma.
If TA doesn't talk to police, that's likely reported as TA and Co. refusing to answer questions. Legal, but to those on the outside, suspicious. If he does answer questions, the court of public opinion thinks he's probably innocent.
I have no idea if he had intent other than to just cooperate.
It's a pretty easy dilemma for the press to fix: Simply don't report the names of ANYONE involved, not the alleged victim, the alleged rapist/assaulter, the location, nothing. There is nothing altruistic about the press' reporting of rape. They do it, and attach the males' name to the allegation, because it provides them with revenue.
We've gotten to the point where the press, collectively, has agreed not to provide the names of victims. That's a good thing, and laudable. But they need to go the next step and not report anyone's names, exactly for the reasons you've said. Patrick Kane, the Duke case, now Tommy Armstrong & Jordan Westerkamp - these names are all attached to a heinous word now, "rape." And that's completely unfair to, for certain, Kane and the Duke players. If it turns out there was no assault here, and Armstrong & Westerkamp are completely innocent, great. But their names are the ones attached to this now.
It's a double-standard and it's crap, and it should stop.
