Culpepper a victim of unequal justice

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 9/15/2004

It’s taken nearly seven months to get to the facts about the party on Lake Minnetonka and the so-called “Viking Love Cruise.” After all that time, the truth came out in the pre-trial hearing where former Vikings Daunte Culpepper and Moe Williams faced misdemeanor charges from allegedly receiving a lap dance.

 

It is clear that some of the players did not participate in the lewd and lascivious conduct that happened that October 2005 night on the two boats owned and operated by Al & Alma’s Charter Cruises. There were as many as 90 guests on those boats (at least 30 of which were Minnesota Vikings football players), and they invited women — some of whom were strippers and prostitutes. But the biggest name of all 90 guests on either of the boats was Daunte Culpepper.

 

Furthermore, it has become clear, based on what was presented at the pre-trial hearing, that because of the color of his skin, it was the decision of U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger, Hennepin County Sheriff Patrick McGowan and Lake Minnetonka Conservation District Prosecutor Steve Tallen to use Culpepper’s race and name against him.

 

Culpepper and Williams both took the witness stand, and both denied having lap dances. Culpepper and eyewitness Larry Tucker, a longtime friend and employee, both confirmed that Culpepper was shooting craps in a corner of the boat and passed on offers for lap dances by the lingerie-clad dancers. Several players, including Mewelde Moore, Darren Sharper and Travis Taylor, took part in the game. “Nobody who was shooting dice wanted to get a dance,” Culpepper said.

 

The shocking and disturbing news that was presented in court was that two White men, including the captain of one of the boats that night, were not even charged when they admitted to investigators that they paid for the opportunity to suck on a stripper’s exposed breast.

 

Tallen denied repeatedly that race was a factor in not charging the White men. He said that the case against the White men was shaky and that a sheriff’s deputy believed the only witness against the captain was not credible. “I’m allowed to make that decision, and it has nothing to do with the race of these defendants,” Tallen said.

 

“It looks bad, though,” Judge Kevin Burke responded. “I am quite convinced that these two guys could have been charged. I think the players had made a case that they were treated differently than the two White men who were not charged.”

 

Because alcohol was sold on the boats, the acts allegedly committed by the White men could bring felony charges. However, even though one of the White men allegedly paid the dancer — raising the possibility of a prostitution charge — the Hennepin County Attorney’s office, which would have pursued any felonies, declined to file any charges in the case.

 

The accusers of Culpepper and Williams did not appear in court. In fact, the one accuser’s statement presented at the hearing said, “It might have been Daunte Culpepper that she saw place his hand on the naked buttocks of the dancer.” So the prosecution passes on charging two White men with felonies, but a White woman saying it might have been Culpepper that she saw is enough to wreck the career and good name of a Black man.

 

Culpepper said under oath that the Vikings told the players not to say anything to anyone after the incident became news. No one defended Culpepper for months, and his name was the biggest of all the Vikings accused. Culpepper lost a $500,000 endorsement contract with Fed Ex after he was charged with the misdemeanors.

 

On top of that, many Minnesotans turned against Culpepper. He felt the bad vibes in Minnesota when — while he dealt with a serious injury to his knee — he was traded to Miami this month for a second-round draft choice because new Head Coach Brad Childress let people around the league know that he did not like Culpepper.

 

Investigators said they had a tough time finding out who did what on the boats because people who attended the boat party generally have not cooperated. The two White men, who did cooperate, admitted to a crime and did not get prosecuted. This is a complete sham. It is a disgrace to Minnesota law.

 

It is as clear as day that race was the guiding light in the charges by the prosecution against Culpepper. Minnesota loses a great football player because in this state it’s okay to discriminate. When in doubt, charge the Black men — It’s sad, but it’s true.