Today’s Duke Chronicle features an article on the lacrosse rape investigation that raises further questions.

First, the (alleged) victim’s claim that the dancers returned to the house and were separated before the assault does not match the account of the second dancer, who says she remained outside. In addition, the second dancer turns out to have been the person who drove the victim to a grocery store after the alleged assault:

Police initiated the investigation after a March 13 party at which three members of the lacrosse team allegedly raped, sodomized and strangled the victim, one of two exotic dancers hired to perform at the party.

The victim claimed the men were getting “excited and aggressive” when she and her companion were dancing. The frightened women left the house but were approached by one member of the team, who urged them to return.

The victim’s account, according to the warrant, stated that the two dancers were separated once inside the house.

Nifong, however, said Wednesday that the second woman never re-entered the dwelling, adding that she stayed at her car because partygoers were talking to her while the alleged victim entered the house alone.

Michael said DPD investigators have located and interviewed the other woman but would not release details of her account. Michael said the second dancer was the person who drove the alleged victim to the Kroger grocery store on Hillsborough Road, where a store security guard called 911.

Why do their accounts not match? In addition, why did the second dancer allegedly tell the grocery store security guard that she was driving by the party?

Altmon [the guard] also said the driver of the car told her she didn’t go to the party with the alleged victim. The driver said she was driving near the party scene when she saw the alleged victim walking outside. “She said she saw a whole lot of Duke guys hollering at her” and using racial slurs, Altmon said. She said the driver said she stopped to pick up the woman and brought her to the Kroger to call police.

Second, we now know that three lacrosse players voluntarily gave DNA samples before the order compelling 46 people to give samples was issued:

Nifong also said the police contacted lacrosse head coach Mike Pressler and asked if the players would voluntarily submit to DNA testing. A meeting was set, but an attorney subsequently contacted the police to cancel the appointment, Nifong explained.

DPD then obtained an order to mandate the DNA testing of 46 of the 47 members of the team.

Both Nifong and Michael said three members of the lacrosse team-the residents of 610 N. Buchanan Blvd.-voluntarily submitted to police questioning and suspect testing after the first warrant was issued.

Two of the three men questioned and tested were not named by the alleged victim in the warrant.

What happened with the voluntary DNA tests that were initially submitted? Were they negative, and did that prompt the order to test more players?