ESPN reporter explains why Fine tape wasn’t released in 2002
November 27, 2011Syracuse (CNN/WSYR-TV) - Bobby Davis, an alleged molestation victim of Bernie Fine, recorded a phone call with the coach's wife in 2002, according to ESPN. (
Full story)
The tape, aired by the network on Sunday, indicates Laurie Fine may have been aware of her husband's alleged inappropriate actions.
ESPN's Mark Schwarz explained in an interview on CNN why the tapes were not made public back then.
“We did not go to authorities with the tape. The authorities did speak to Bobby Davis before the tape was made in 2002. He spoke to a Syracuse Police detective, who he says spent five minutes on the phone with him, and didn't even do a detective report... told him the statute of limitations had come and gone, and that is why Bobby Davis says he recorded the tape to try to at least corroborate his story this way.
“He was determined Laurie Fine, who he says had a window into the abuse, in fact literally one time saw the abuse going on in the home through a basement window with her husband and Bobby Davis, and she alleged that that actually did happen on the tape.
“But once the interviews were done ten days ago with Bobby Davis and Mike Lange, that tape then, through them got in the hands of the police department and is evidence in this case. The District Attorney, Bill Fitzpatrick, also has a copy of the tape.”
Schwarz also explained how ESPN confirmed that the voice on the tape was Laurie Fine.
“These are grave charges. We had to do everything that we could to confirm that the voice was indeed Laurie Fine. Bobby Davis, of course, told us it was Laurie Fine. You hear on the tape that he says ‘Hello,’ Laurie, and she says, ‘Hello, Bobby,’ but in this kind of case you have to confirm it.
“That's why we wanted to, before airing it, take the extra step to run it by a voice recognition expert who says yes, that is the voice of Laurie Fine. Because, we were able to compare it to other voice of Laurie Fine examples we were able to provide."
