October 26, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Madison WI

PRESS STATEMENT FROM ATTORNEYS FOR ALEC COOK
As a nation and society, we believe that each and every one of us is presumed
innocent until proven guilty. This principle belongs to each one of us. This is our
bedrock. We despise public lynchings and we oppose vigilante justice.
Historically, those sorts of injustices happened when angry mobs took to the
streets.
The internet has replaced the streets. As a result, for the past few days, we have
seen how the rapid-fire internet news cycle erodes that presumption of
innocence. This is exactly what is happening to Alec Cook right now. Alec, a 20
year old business major with no criminal history, has seemingly been charged,
tried, and convicted. The rapid-fire news cycle, combined with the viral nature of
social media, has resulted in a modern-day character assassination that is very
real and very wrong.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this propagandizing is that people commit
this sort of character assassination under the nobler (and politically correct) guise
of supporting and believing accusers – even before they know if they are actual
victims. But blind acceptance of mere accusations – without hearing testimony or
seeing physical evidence – leads to the stigmatization of innocent people. The
entire nation saw this happen in the Duke Lacrosse case and in the fabricated
rape story from UVA that was reported by The Rolling Stone.
When we embrace this politically correct blind acceptance, we do not help
women. We do not combat “rape culture”. We do not send any message to
“fraternity row”. We also ignore our bedrock principles while we disempower
young women, by stereotyping them into “victimhood” without evidence.
We urge you to wait for the facts before condemning Alec Cook. You would do
the same for your own.
- Christopher T. Van Wagner and Jessa Nicholson, Attorneys for Alec Cook