the Virginia Lacrosse murderer
 

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5165967

I think there is a real double standard going on here.

If an inner city black athlete had killed his girlfriend by repeatedly slamming her head against the wall, it would be perceived much, much differently than the rich white kid doing it.

How many times do we have to read about how great a kid he is?

Well, there appears to be pretty strong evidence here that he is NOT a great kid, at least not by the definitions I use.

I suspect his punishment will be much less than if he were a black kid. And that's a shame.

I'm not sure I agree that this story is being played as "he's such a good guy"--at least not here, where perhaps its getting more local coverage because he's a local kid. he's certainly a privileged kid.

In fact, the neighbor who is quoted in the article, Michael Preston, is the nephew of a friend of mine, and she says he's having a very hard time (Preston). I can imagine it's hard to see a kid who grew up next to you in a nice, upper-class neighborhood. Trying to rectify the image of the kid you knew with the charges.

I'm sure there are some double standards going on. But it's a sensational story.