N.C. State Bar: Nifong Guilty of Ethics Violations

[seriousstan]

Source: abc

Nifong is expected to be disciplined as early as today. His punishment could range from a written reprimand to disbarment. He already announced Friday his intention to resign as district attorney.

With that, the long saga of what was once known as the Duke Lacrosse rape scandal is over. Nifong's conviction was widely anticipated as justice for the three players who were indicted in spring 2006 on charges of rape, kidnapping, and sexual offense.


In April, the three were cleared of all charges and declared innocent by the attorney general of North Carolina.

All three exonerated Duke Lacrosse players -- Reade Seligmann, David Evans and Collin Finnerty -- were in the courtroom Saturday.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=3285862&page=1

[marshall]

1. It's far from over

There are civil suits to follow--against Nifong and Duke--and possible criminal charges against Nifong.

[IndianaGreen]

6. The lawyers for the falsely accused are going to ask trial judge for sanctions

Because Nifong lied to the court, they want him punished criminally.

Nifong still faces civil suit. He will be in litigation for quite some time.

In addition to disbarment, which he richly deserves, Nifong will be financially ruined for he certainly will have to compensate the falsely accused for their legal fees and the harm they suffered.

Nifong can thank his lucky stars if he manages to stay out of jail.

Meanwhile, I predict that the accuser, Crystal Gail Mangum, will not let the decade slide by without filing another false charge of assault and rape against another innocent victim. Remember that the Duke rape allegation was the second time that Mangum had made an unfounded rape charge. She needs some serious therapy, and drug rehab!

[marshall]

7. Jesse Jackson has pledged to take care of Mangum

He is paying her way through college. Hopefully he will see to it that she gets the therapy and other help that she needs.

[LisaL]

12. Jackson promised to pay for her college in the beginning?

Have you heard from him about paying for her college lately?

[marshall]

13. He said he would pay regardless of how the case turned out

And she's going to need all the friends she can get now.

[Drum]

18. Well after the past year, I wouldn't think "college"

will glean her too many friends :eyes: Maybe there's a consolation prize for her instead. Like criminal charges of her own (perjury, filing false report(s), &tc. :(

[pitohui]

19. has therapy ever cured even one pathological liar?

i'm asking not telling but i don't care if this lady got 30 fucking doctorates paid for by jesus christ himself i wouldn't hire her for any job, it would not be fair to the people who had to work with her

[Mike Daniels]

69. How nice of Jesse to award someone who lied and falsely accused a bunch of people

Perhaps Jesse can also cover the costs of the student's legal bills?

[bluestateguy]

8. She has made circumstances more difficult for real rape victims

Their credibility will be undermined because of the actions of this serial liar.

[IndianaGreen]

9. I don't think so! An ethical prosecutor would have never indicted these young men

An ethical prosecutor would have charged Mangum with making a false police report, and would have ask the court to order Mangum to submit to a psychological evaluation.

[TankLV]

36. And THAT is only one of the ultimate tragedies of this case...

The other being the blessing of the real live illustration of "INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY".

That is the OTHER major victor here...

Maybe those who rushed to judgement will think twice before trying to lynch somebody again - especially SOME DU'rs...

[OzarkDem]

63. Your sympathy

for "real" rape victims doesn't sound very sincere. Its not about scoring points, its about crimes against women. The evidence may not always be as clear as you want it, but it doesn't change the fact that crimes are committed.

Maybe we can hope that some day our sick society turns around and stops producing and praising cretins like those on the Duke lacrosse team.

[CTLawGuy]

64. wtf

they didn't do anything wrong, now you're calling them cretins???

Rush Limbaugh thanks you...

[OzarkDem]

71. Didn't do anything wrong?

These guys had a history of drunken fratboy behavior who had been disciplined before by the school. Hiring strippers and drunkenly groping them was just one more thing added to a list of problems they already had. They weren't innocent angels, they were and are an accident waiting to happen.

[yardwork]

79. There's no evidence that these particular students ever did anything wrong.

Yes, there is a history of bad behavior among some students at Duke, including some members of the lacrosse team. But there's no evidence that these three players did anything wrong, other than show up for a party where alcohol was being provided to underage people. That was stupid, ill-considered, and poor judgement. But it's a far cry from rape. There's no evidence that anyone groped either of the strippers.

[OzarkDem]

85. 15 players had prior criminal records

In the past three years, about a third of the members of the Duke lacrosse team, under investigation in a reported gang rape, have been charged with misdemeanors stemming from drunken and disruptive behavior, court records show.

Of the team's 47 members, 15 faced charges including underage alcohol possession, having open containers of alcohol, loud noise and public urination.

Most of those charges were resolved in deals with prosecutors that allowed the players to escape criminal convictions.


http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/422787.html

[tammywammy]

86. So, because of past behavior

they deserved to be accused of rape????

[yardwork]

88. I'm well aware of this. I know some of the people who called the police.

So what? If a poor black teenager was arrested on false charges, would the fact that he'd previously been arrested for possession mean that it was ok with you that he went to jail for something he didn't do?

What's your point, exactly? I've been all over these boards for months defending the Duke faculty and Durham residents who believed these charges at first. I was one of those who believed the charges at first. However, now that we know that Nifong made shit up and hid evidence from the defense, and we've read the hospital reports that indicate that NO EVIDENCE OF ASSAULT WAS FOUND BY THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN, most of us are able to get our minds around the fact that these players were unfairly charged with rape, kidnapping, assault, all kinds of things that they didn't do.

Just because some of the lacrosse players are rude, obnoxious, drunken, arrogant assholes with entitlement issues doesn't make it ok for the district attorney to arrest three of them on trumped-up charges. If it happens to them, what's going to happen to the rest of us?

[mountains539]

89. Question

I was wondering if you think these guys should have been found guilty of something they didnt do? would justice have been served if Nifong was allowed to continue as Durham County DA and the guys accused were sent to jail? It seems that being rich and white are the real crime here. That begs another question....how do you know they were rich? care to state the net worth of the families of any of the accused? If Im not mistaken, none of them are stinking rich, I think they are upper middle class......not the millions and millions that are alluded to. And is this really about sports revenue? didnt the laccrose season get cancelled? didnt the coach get fired? didnt the accused get suspended from school? all on accusations that turned out to be baseless.
from your posts on this topic it appears that there is something wrong and immoral to be......white, male, financially secure, and attend a prestigious school and play sports.....and that it is ok to presume guilt based on these socio economic factors.
The idea that poor, black, and female = moral, upstanding, honest vs white, male, financially secure = guilty, imoral, hooligan
flies in the face of equality.
is it possible that the kids engaged in much the same behavior that many, many college athletes.....both black and white......engage in? (underage drinking, parties, rowdiness) and that is the extent of their "crimes"
is it possible that the accusations are false? is it possible that the person that made them is to blame for making it more difficult for victims of sexual assault to press forward with their cases?
the case was a stinking mess all the way around but the end result is, based on all we know now......it is more difficult for rape victims to pursue their cases because of an over zealous prosecuter and the false accusations made by the alleged victim.

[DerBeppo]

91. None of those charges mean anything.

That's what college is. I've done all of those things. Does that mean if I'm falsely accused of rape I deserve it?

[CreekDog]

106. Nope Derbeppo it doesn't

But I would be afraid if accused and some folks on this thread were on the jury.

Especially if you are white, male and perish the thought, rich. Some folks here smell blood!

Criminy.

[CTLawGuy]

102. so they should be charged with rape because they are "bad people"?

I don't subscribe to that philosophy.

[NaturalHigh]

11. Someone should start Crystal Mangum Underground.

Hey, if it's good enough for Paris Hilton, why not? Everyone could place bets on how long before she files another false rape report.

[tammywammy]

2. Here's another link

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19264396/

Nifong broke conduct rules, committee finds
District attorney who led Duke rape case could be stripped of law license

RALEIGH, N.C. - Mike Nifong broke several rules of professional conduct during his disastrous prosecution of three Duke University lacrosse players falsely accused of rape, committing “deceit and misrepresentations,” a disciplinary committee ruled Saturday.

The committee must now decide if the longtime prosecutor in Durham County, who has already pledged to resign his post as district attorney, should be stripped of his law license.

The North Carolina State Bar charged Nifong with breaking several rules of professional conduct, including lying to both the court and bar investigators and withholding critical DNA test results from the players’ defense attorneys.

The committee, after deliberating for a little more than an hour, unanimously agreed with the bar on almost every charge — including the most serious allegations — that Nifong’s actions involved “dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation.”

[bluestateguy]

3. If he isn't disbarred he'll just take some cushy job at a law firm

nt

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. don't think so.

he pushed this case for political fame right about election time. No one will touch him even if he keeps his license, which I doubt he will.

[Zynx]

5. No he won't. Not that he's going to keep his license.

Who on earth would want this guy? He's demonstrated that he's perfectly willing to go completely rogue.

[hobbit709]

10. Then he should do fine working for Gone-zo

[Eugene]

14. AP: N.C. Panel Disbars Duke Prosecutor

Source: Associated Press

N.C. Panel Disbars Duke Prosecutor

Saturday June 16, 2007 10:31 PM

By AARON BEARD

Associated Press Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A disciplinary committee said Saturday
disgraced prosecutor Mike Nifong will be disbarred for his
disastrous prosecution of three Duke University lacrosse
players falsely accused of rape - a punishment the veteran
prosecutor admitted was appropriate.

“This matter has been a fiasco. There's no doubt about it,”
said committee chairman F. Lane Williamson.

Nifong sat motionless, one hand resting over his mouth,
as Williamson recounted how he engaged in dishonest and
deceitful conduct. The veteran prosecutor would not appeal
the punishment, his lawyer said.

“He hopes this helps restore some of the confidence in the
criminal justice system of North Carolina,” said attorney
David Freedman.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6714977,00.html

[FreakinDJ]

15. The guy belongs in Jail

He used Magnum

He used the 3 falsely accused

[Drum]

16. Hmmm...I wonder if the former prosecutor has children?

If so, they will also have to bear his shame (and poverty!) :(

So sad, all around.

What horrible fires a false accusation can light! And now I'm more curious than ever: WHY did that the accuser do this in the first place, if it wasn't true??

[LisaL]

17. I believe he has two children.

One is an adult daughter from a previous marriage, and a son from this marriage. As for Crystal Mangum, the other stripper took her to Krogers and then asked security guard to call police because Mangum would not get out of the car. The officer who found Mangum in the car thought she was drunk, and so she was taken to Durham Access, where a nurse asked her if she was raped. To which she answered yes, and it all went from there.

[jberryhill]

100. If you are looking for a motive

She was on probation from a prior incident in which she was drunk, stole a car, and tried to run over a police officer with it.

The night of the incident, she got into an argument with the other performer in the parking lot of a Kroger, and refused to get out of the other woman's car. The other woman called the police, whereupon the "victim" was taken to detox on public drunkenness.

This would have been a probation violation.

It was at detox where she first made the claim she had been raped. This claim got her a ticket out of detox to the hospital.

As far as Nifong's family goes, the "shame bearing" department is booked pretty solid all around.

[sleipnir]

20. Well, Justice was finally served.

To at least one of the guilty.

The woman who allegedly gave false testimony and felonious statements to the police should also be tried, and if found guilty, sentenced to a nice, long stay in a local jail.

Nifong should also join her for the evil he did, but at least he won't be practicing law anytime again.

Good riddance to at least half of the rubbish in the case.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

21. This is the most absurd story I ever heard.

Why this particular DA? Because he dared pursue a case against some rich, rude, sports players from an ivy league school who were accused of rape by a black stripper they had hired? You know, if we asked every DA to resign that ran a whole case on a tiny hunch rather than foolproof evidence, and if we made every DA resign that made obnoxious statements against the people they're going to prosecute, we might have no DAs left. Hell, not even "might." We just wouldn't have any DAs left. Why was this one singled out for punishment when nearly all DAs in the U.S. are guilty of this bullshit? Duh! Gee I wonder why.

[seriousstan]

22. Brilliantly under-informed.

[AngryOldDem]

23. Why? Because maybe he broke about every ethics code in the book?

He had evidence that would have exonerated the players. He made inflammatory comments publicly. He knew he had no case, yet pursued it anyway. He damned near ruined three lives. There's more, but I'll leave it to you to research the rest.

I know I, for one, would not want Nifong in charge of the criminal justice system in my county.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

26. If we got together to name DAs....

If we listed DAs who have broken every rule of ethics, we'd be here a while making our list, wouldn't we? I'd love for all DAs that do this to end up disbarred and resigned. However, it's not going to happen because the perfect recipe for this to happen usually doesn't come together (ie., wealthy alleged perps, an ivy league school, sports).

Again, my issue is that this man was ousted and disbarred *ONLY BECAUSE* this involved sports, white rich boys with money to hire the best attorneys to make a stink right back, and an ivy league school that counts on funds from rich boys' parents. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that the DA would've remained in his position and practicing law if the ones charged had been some ordinary males, say, from DU, the school had been some poor school somewhere, the victim had been white, and it'd not involved the almightly, always revered, untouchable, wonderful, marvellous sports.

[marshall]

27. In any other case, charges would have never been made

Your point is accurate about these families having the means (either through their own assets or borrowed) to mount a good defense. And the sports, ivy league connection also brought its own benefit as far as media attention. But it's a double edge sword because Nifong would have had no incentive to even make the bogus charges if it weren't for those same factors being present. He needed to pander to the community in order to win his primary, and this case was perfectly suited to fan the flames and bring out the votes.

[Paladin]

28. Get A Clue

Your ugly, class-based hatred of these kids blinds you to the real upside of this whole ugly situation---Nifong's taking a serious fall will cause other over-the-top prosecutors to pause and think before doing something just as reprehensible to the poor, downtrodden, non-Ivy-League, non-sports-playing, non-white, non-wealthy masses. What Nifong did will be studied in every law school in the country. And if "rich white boys" are the basis for this happening, I don't have a problem with it---and neither should you....

[Sarah Ibarruri]

29. What Nifong did is being done by DAs everywhere

This became a monster issue because it involves SPORTS, rich students, ivy league university, white boys vs. a black girl

[LisaL]

31. Duke is not an ivy league university.

[Paladin]

34. Blaming The Victims Is Reprehensible n/t

[TankLV]

40. She is like a rabid dog and can't let go of it...

It aparently comes naturally to her...

[OzarkDem]

55. And you're on the wrong forum

Most Democrats are women, the party's values and the issues it promotes regarding equality for all means women here have equal power. That's not likely to change any time soon, so you had best get used to it.

[CreekDog]

96. You don't represent women so don't claim to speak for all women

Speak for yourself.

[marshall]

75. Most dishonest DA's don't draw this much attention to themselves

Nifong brought the microscope on himself by having dozens of press conferences in the beginning. Yes, there are many many dishonest DA's, and many cases that do not involve sport teams, but Nifong let himself go overboard. And it seems like he started believing his own lies at some point.

[Socal31]

104. Your remarks are extremely racist.

Thats the only way to sum it up. What do you have against young white males? ANY prejudice shows lack of education.

[TankLV]

39. Thank you.

This poster has a real problem...

[AngryOldDem]

30. Seems you would give Nifong a pass because of who he went after

Talk about classist.

What Nifong did was egregious, and such exercise of "justice" puts everybody who faces criminal charges, or a trial, at risk. Granted, Nifong saw a political opportunity, but it blew up in his face. Good. That proves that we still have some measure of legal ethics in this country. (If truth be told, the woman who raised the bogus charges could also be considered a victim of Nifong's opportunism, but that does not excuse what she did, either.)

I've tried to see your point but I really don't.

Nifong shows what could happen if power goes unchecked. Today it was three "rich white boys" from Duke. Tomorrow, it could be you.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

58. Nope. Today it was 3 rich boys, tomorrow it will be some more rich boys

When this happens to DAs who are prosecuting innocent blacks, innocent poor women, and innocent uneducated men, I'll be the first to tell you the law is fair. Until then, this has happened to this DA only because it happened to 3 rich boys.

[onenote]

73. okay. Actually, before today, it was 3 poor boys

http://www.truthinjustice.org/peasley.htm

Sorry to screw up your theory. Are dishonest prosecutors held accountable every time or even as often as they should? Of course not. But suggesting that the only reason Nifong was punished here because of the status of the falsely accused simply doesn't withstand scrutiny. Not that you bothered to actually check the facts before spouting your conclusions.

[rockyandmax]

44. Such an misinformed piece

>ivy league school<

I'll not repeat what others have already said... but even your contention that Duke is an Ivy League school is wrong...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_League

[laureloak]

24. Wonder why some news stories grow legs, others don't.

Silly goose, every crooked DA can't make headlines. However, it's a good thing one is singled out from time to time.

Nifong needs jailtime for this and so does the lying hooker.

[marshall]

25. This case was a perfect storm for all sides

It started out as the quinessential cause celebre for the media--poor black girl raped by rich white jocks. Everybody from the Black Panthers to the Rainbow Coalition came to Durham, a group of the university professors turned on the students and condemned them, it was like a circus. Then it all fell apart and it was a cause celelbre for the other side and the media continued to eat it up.

I admit I thought the boys were guilty as sin for a few days just based on prejudice, so I know why that bandwagon was so full.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

32. I must not explain myself well.

I'm not condoning DAs hiding evidence, nor am I condoning DAs making obnoxious comments about the people they're prosecuting. I'm merely saying that this kind of thing goes on every day, we know this, and nothing gets done about it. Why did they crucify this guy all of a sudden? Money, ivy league, sports.

[LisaL]

33. Well, for one, what you call "obnoxious comments" are against

the rules for a DA to make.
Of course you might not be familiar with those rules.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

45. Hopefully I'll explain it better this time....

I'm not saying this man should not be disbarred. I'm also not saying this man should not have had to resign. That's not what I'm saying.

What I am saying is that he did nothing different from what DAs around the country have been doing since time immemorial in this country, so why crucify this specific guy for it now when usually these things are usually laid to rest quite nicely? Further, since when is this country so concerned with DAs going over the line that this DA is in every TV newscast, radio newscast, newspaper, and on everyone's lips?"

The reason this DA had to be crucified when other DAs who have done the same thing have not been, because of these factors: RICH BOYS WITH MONEY (as the perps), SPORTS (a sacred thing in the U.S.), IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL THAT DEPENDS ON RICH BOYS' PARENTS' MONEY, and BLACK WOMAN (as the victim). All that came together quite nicely to land a DA in trouble for a change.

Let me go further with this a second. Let's assume for a moment that the "perps" had been 4 middle class or poor black students without the money to hire high-fashion attorneys, and that the university had been black, and that the victim had been some blonde, white stripper. If that had been the case, the students would already have been sentenced to prison, and the DA would be considered a hero, regardless of what he had said or done. Nobody would've listened to the students if they claimed over and over that they were innocent.

I sure hope it is clear this time. There is a monstrous double standard in the laws of this country. I do want this guy disbarred, and I do want this guy to resign. However, I expect from now on the asses of all DAs that do any of this crap, to be disbarred and have to resign. The double standard needs to stop.

And that's what I'm saying.

[LisaL]

47. I am not even sure what case you were following.

This DA was a hero for a time. The media was eating it up. He got through the primary and through the election, likely because of this case, considering he was behind in the poll before this case came along. His problem is that he had no evidence to back these charges, and so it all fell apart. As for poor people being sentenced to prison-with evidence such as this, I think even a public defender could have managed something.
I don't know of many men accused of rape going to prison when their DNA is not found on the woman but DNA from other unknown men is. Do you?

[OzarkDem]

62. A lot of people have problems

when double standards are applied in legal cases. Why does that surprise you? Most of us still like to think of the US as being a democracy where there is still some semblance of balance in the judicial system.

[madmusic]

48. I get it.

You're clear enough and you seem to agree with these:

http://publicdefenderdude.blogspot.com/2007/04/what-can-we-make-of-duke-lacrosse-rape.html">What can we make of the Duke Lacrosse Rape case?

http://publicdefenderdude.blogspot.com/2007/06/bye-bye-nifong.html">Bye, bye, Nifong

[robcon]

35. You asked why the publicity?

Sarah Iburrari: "Why did they crucify this guy all of a sudden? Money, ivy league, sports."

I don't think it had anything to do with money, ivy league(???) or sports until the case was nifonged.

The case became famous when Nifong tried to make a sociological case out of no evidence in order to win the Democratic Party nomination for DA in Durham.

Strangely, (for a DA) he gave a dozen interviews to national press as well as local NC press - the New York Times, Time mag, etc., who covered the case because of Nifong's claims about racism, sexism, class warfare, town vs. gown, privileged lacrosse team, etc. The case became infamous because of the labels about the case that Nifong created, and was inflamed when the 88 Duke professors encouraged students to protest against the players.

It only became a sports story due to Nifong's strange weeding out of 'suspects' and lineups only for white lacrosse players. Frat boy shenanigans are everyday occurrences on campuses. This case was infamous because of the sociology of Nifong's claims.

[OzarkDem]

54. Fratboy shenanigans against women

are all to commonplace these days. They should never be accepted as "boys will be boys". Violence against women should never be acceptable, regardless of what "popular culture" thinks is in vogue.

[rayofreason]

43. Actually...

...you explain yourself quite well.

And that is the problem. Fortunately there are plenty of folks here with a much more clarity when it comes to the phrase "rule of law".

[MarkR1717]

46. The US has a big problem with elected DA's....

.....To get elected they use grandstanding prosecutions that they think will play well with the electorate. If they can't find a real case, there is a temptation to manufacture one.

I think this is what happened with Nifong, and he is one amongst many. In a way he has been unlucky (don't get me wrong, he deserves all the punishments coming his way), cos it seems to me the political route from Prosecutor to DA, to Attorney General, to Congressman/Woman, to Senator, starts many times with a string of convictions whose main purpose is to make a name for the election. Just my opinion.

For example, the Massachusets Attorney General Martha Coakley prepared for election with the shaken baby fiasco, she follows, former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger who made a political career by framing the Amirault family on child sex abuse charges, see also Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly, and the Blue Falls/Woodward/Amiralt cases.

I'm sure every state has its own examples.

"...The criminal prosecutors achieve or expect to achieve fame, fortune and power by racking up criminal-case victories regardless of the guilt or innocence of the accused under existing principles of law. They readily learn that the way to become elected or appointed to Congress, the state or local Legislature, a judgeship, district attorney or U.S. Attorney position or other governmental office, is to get and publicize convictions, and to maintain that they are just in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary in too many cases.

The consequences for the overzealous prosecutor is too often the sought-after fame, fortune, power and political position, but the victims (including virtually everyone in the community) are left to pay the bill for wrongful incarceration, excessive criminal proceedings, destroyed families, wrongfully-confiscated property depriving a newly-accused defendant of the funds to defend himself/herself, wrongfully-impoverished families requiring governmental assistance, loss of skilled workers, loss of voters needed to strike a more just political balance in the country, and various other consequences....."

http://www.lawmall.com/abuse/

[OzarkDem]

51. You're right

This kind of thing does go on every day, and it is very unusual that this DA is being singled out for punishment.

[barb162]

37. When he had evidence exonerating those guys, he didn't act on it.;

I am glad he was disbarred.

[TankLV]

38. Still trying to defend the indefensable, I see...

I am not surprised...

Aren't you late for the "Feminist" group meeting so you can rehash your hatred of these INNOCENT boys again?

[OzarkDem]

50. You have a problem with feminists?

I hate to be the one to tell you, but the Democratic party is full of them. Might as well get used to it or take your misogyny somewhere else.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

57. Anti-feminism?

Sheesh. I thought that was found only in the right wing fora.

[Forkboy]

41. Grow up

[OzarkDem]

49. Sends a chilling message to DA's everywhere

Don't investigate or try to prosecute rape and abuse cases against poor women when the perps are rich white guys.

I guess we women are on our own now.

[robcon]

52. Incredible martyrdom, OzarkDem.

Do you always wallow in such self-pity, or do you occasionally look at the facts of a case?

[OzarkDem]

53. No, its just reality

Wonder how many DA's have been disbarred for sending innocent people to death row? Not many, if any.

Women have been used to this kind of treatment in the legal system for centuries. Some progress has been made, but there's always a price to pay. Its still exceedingly difficult to prosecute crimes against women and this case just made it that much more difficult.

[LisaL]

56. My suggestion to those prosecutors would be -

stick with prosecuting real crimes.

[OzarkDem]

60. Chilling effect means they won't bother

unless there's plenty of evidence and witnesses.

Hey, lets hope you don't have to find out the hard way. But then again, maybe that's the only way some people learn - when they become victims themselves. Then its a different story, right?

[LisaL]

65. Well, I think it's good if prosecutors won't prosecute crimes

unless they have evidence.

[OzarkDem]

72. Now they won't investigate crimes

Maybe one day it will happen to you, and you'll have reason to feel otherwise. Sometimes people only learn when they become the victims.

[LisaL]

74. Yes, I , like anybody else, am scared of being accused of

something I didn't do. But I think the DA in my county seems reasonable.

[OzarkDem]

76. And you're not scared

of being raped by a bunch of drunken jocks who know no one will hold them accountable? Are you a woman or is that just a phony name?

Every campus has their crowd of jocks who are bullies and thugs. They're usually immune from prosecution unless they do something really, really serious. Women have been victimized by them for years, it happened to my roommate when I was in college. Nothing's changed. Nifong tried to buck the system and lost.

Drunken frat boys and jocks are free to continue beating up other students at will without being held accountable. Thank goodness justice has prevailed.

[Mike Daniels]

77. You're right, justice did prevail in this case

A false charge of rape was dismissed for a lack of evidence and an unprofessional DA who pursued this case for political reasons is no longer free to engage in the practice of law.

Please continue to provide no evidence that the students who were charged were actually guilty of what they are accused of doing.

[OzarkDem]

84. But

what happens the next time women are victimized by these or other jocks? Likely nothing will happen because of this. That is the real tragedy here. Police and prosecutors will go back to looking the other way when it happens.

[CreekDog]

105. ;) Jocks are evilllll, oh no, is this a bad 1980's teen movie?

Ozark is just lashing out in all directions by that post.

[DuaneBidoux]

92. You're missing the point of who the victim was here.

It was those charged and prosecuted under false pretense. The DA got what he diserved. Just because other guilty rapists have gotten off somewhere else in time does not give reason to lynch these innocent boys (white, rich, black, poor, or otherwise).

[robcon]

103. Nice strawman, OzarkDem.

Nifong was not disbarred for making mistakes. He was disbarred for making fraudulent, untrue statements in order to increase his chances of winning the Democratic Party nomination for Durham DA.

I would be surprised if you could find a case of intentionally fraudulent statements by a DA that did not have consequences. If you have them, please link or quote them.

[Mike Daniels]

59. You're only one your own if you make false claims against people

like the lying her ass off stripper did in this case.

[OzarkDem]

61. My, my, my

that post is just seething with hatred of women. Why are you even posting at DU? Don't you realize that actual women with opinions post here? Why just reading a post like this from an outspoken woman like myself is probably making you go ballistic, right?

[Mike Daniels]

70. I'd like you to pick out my so-called hatred of women from my post

I hold anyone (man/woman) who falsely accuses someone of a crime in utter contempt.

If your world view has you continuing to defend a woman who filed demonstrably false charges of rape that's your business.

My world view is that the accuser should be held accountable for her actions.

[CreekDog]

97. Mike Daniels was criticizing Crystal Gail Magnum

Sounds like porn star name...anyway aside from that, there is plenty to criticize Ms. Magnum for.

And Daniels was only criticizing her.

I should mention that Ozark, you are also worth criticizing because of your own statements. And don't take it as an attack against women. It is not women's fault that you said what you said.

You said it, you are responsible, whether you are a man or a woman and nobody else is to blame for what you said --just you. And nobody should be offended that you were criticized for what you said.

So stop being a martyr for a cause that you aren't a martyr for.

[robcon]

107. I don't hate women at all.

Your assumption that I hate "women" when I just think you're a phony, OzarkDem, is projecting, IMO. I strongly disagree with you - I don't hate women or you.

You have a peculiar self-pity mode, OzarkDem. Whenever I disagree with you, somehow you think I am hating all women. When someone who is innocent is set free, you describe an affectation that all women are at higher risk of rape. What a

Stop projecting your ignorance onto "all women" generalizations. Stop flattering yourself that you speak for all women, so that when I disagree with your nonsense, I am hating women, or taking away women's rights or freedoms.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

98. Actually....

Aside from the primary discussion re DAs that are crooked but don't get disbarred or ousted until they accuse 3 rich boys, how about this little bit of fairy tale....

These boys hired a stripper, sat with their hands nicely folded in their laps during the performance, then it was over and they waved bye bye.

The likelihood of that is what? Nil?

[AngryOldDem]

81. This woman has this to say:

:nopity:

Really, though, I also feel for the woman in this case, who Nifong used only because of her race.

So we were supposed to just ignore the wealth of incontrovertible evidence that CLEARED these kids of rape, merely because they are white, wealthy, and attend a prestigious school? Seems to me that is also a double-standard.

I guess it's true: If you're a white male, you're screwed. No matter what.

And by the way, folks, Duke is not an Ivy League school. I know that point's been made, but it's still being missed. Classism rules. Even on the left.

[ButterflyBlood]

93. No, how about don't hide evidence in those cases

I can't believe the crap I'm reading here...

[ncabot22]

95. Actually, I blame Crystal Mangum

Because of women like her, she has now made it more difficult for a woman to be taken seriously when claiming rape. So blame her, not the falsely accused.

I say this as a woman, too. I'm far angrier with women who falsely accuse men of rape than I am with men who hire strippers and have keg parties.

[Marrah_G]

68. wow... you don't read much before you post do you?

Check back with us after you read the facts in the case.

[yardwork]

78. What's the ethical difference between giving Nifong a pass and Abu Ghraib?

It's true that other district attorneys hide exculpatory evidence from defense attorneys, but it's a travesty every single time it happens. Better to have no district attorneys than to let even one get away with this.

The ONLY reason we heard about this case is that the accused were well-connected and supported by a powerful alumni network. Poor black and white kids from North Carolina have been on death row because district attorneys manufactured evidence against them. How many innocent people are still in jail? How many were executed?

[AngryOldDem]

82. On the other hand...

How many death row/life-imprisoned inmates have been spared because of people who spoke up against such misconduct? All the more reason to shed all the light on prosecutorial miscondunct whenever it happens, regardless of who it happens to. If we can excuse it at any level, we ultimately excuse it at all levels.

[yardwork]

83. Yes!

[tammywammy]

80. This DA deserved what he got

And so does any other DA that acts like this.

It disgusts me that anyone would defend Nifong and then call themselves a progressive/democrat.

[rayofreason]

42. The only gulity verdict in the whole mess!

[tammywammy]

87. But, it's the only guilty verdict that's justified

[rayofreason]

90. Agreed!

[onenote]

66. For those who claim Nifong was punished only because the accused were rich, white, frat boys

Explain this one:

http://www.truthinjustice.org/peasley.htm

[MarkR1717]

67. Bent Prosecutors should have.....

...their pensions etc stripped from them. Same for bent cops.

This idea that they "retire" and we forget about it is wrong.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

99. I agree.

But usually DA ill behavior is all swept under the rug until a very special set of circumstances comes along.

I hope that this puts all DAs on notice that they'll meet with the same fate regardless of whether they do this to poor or rich, uneducated or not, black or white, female or male, stripper or executive, weakling or sports player.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

101. Apparently a few of this crooked DAs victims were executed?

This one lied to put people on death row. If that's the case, it's sad he was disbarred after the fact and not before.

Thanks for the website. From that same website, here is another very good article (this one from the New Yorker) about this crooked prosecutor, but about other prosecutors that lie, and about the Innocence Project:

http://truthinjustice.org/Toobin.pd

[Eugene]

94. Update: Nifong to Leave DA's Office July 13

Source: Associated Press

Nifong to Leave DA's Office July 13

Monday June 18, 2007 7:01 PM

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) - The prosecutor ordered disbarred
for his handling of the Duke lacrosse rape case has told
the governor he will leave office next month, according
to a letter released Monday.

Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong said in his
letter of resignation to Gov. Mike Easley he will quit
July 13.

“Consistent with my publicly announced intention, I am
writing to tell you that I am resigning my elected position,”
Nifong wrote in a letter dated Sunday.

A disciplinary committee of the North Carolina Bar disbarred
Nifong on Saturday, finding he had lied to the court, made
inflammatory statements about the three indicted lacross
players and their teammates, and withheld DNA evidence
from defense attorneys.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6718289,00.html