Posted on 04/22/2006 2:45:35 AM PDT by abb
Defense lawyers and legal experts say District Attorney Mike Nifong may have crossed ethical lines in public comments about rape allegations involving Duke University lacrosse players, potentially prejudicing jurors and setting off a media maelstrom.
Nifong says that he has done nothing wrong, though he has ceased talking with reporters about allegations made by an escort service dancer hired to perform at a March 13 team party. He would speak only about his handling of the case Friday.
"In terms of what I said, no, I wouldn't say I regret anything I've said," Nifong said. "I think what I have learned, basically, is that if you cooperate with the media out of a sense of duty to public truth, you make yourself a victim."
Local observers were hard-pressed this week to remember a case with so much back-and-forth between the prosecution and defense playing out in a 24-hour news cycle. It has some suggesting a judge should step in with a gag order.
Defense attorneys for the lacrosse players say it is their clients who have been victimized by Nifong, and they blunt criticism of their own extensive public comments by saying they are just attempting to limit the damage. Some also said photos, ATM receipts and other evidence they claim exonerates the two team members arrested Tuesday were given to the media only after Nifong refused to look at them.
In its ethical rules, the N.C. State Bar orders lawyers to refrain from statements outside the courtroom that they know might have "a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing" legal proceedings. But once one side talks to the press, ethics rules say the other side can make statements "a reasonable lawyer" would believe are required to protect a client from bad publicity.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsobserver.com ...
Team captains released a statement denying any sexual activity took place at the party March 13th in an off-campus home rented by several players.
The video from Dan Abrams the other night did show the cop cars all the way up at the end of the drive. I'll have to go back for a drive through although I'll bet the furthest up point was more accessible at 2 am during spring break than it was during "move in" day. : )
"2C" is indeed my old dorm a.k.a. Lancaster. That's why I knew immediately that an e-mail proposing a skin-the-stripper party in the dorm room was ridiculous as it would be physically impossible. Now I'm gonna have to dig up the search warrants and see if any of those guys were living in my old room. I hope the carpets have been replaced since then.
Yes, the university bought several houses last year, I believe. Paid something like $3 mil for 12 houses, I think. I'll see if I can find the info.
What a ridiculous statement. If he had more to say he ought to have said it or simply shut up.
Carpets are new :)
See 169 - my reply:
Yep. The cabbie had to be back before the cops.
That's what I think...he called his gf before going inside.
Duke bought it in the fall with the specific intention of fixing it up and renting it to a family so as to avoid having students rent it. That was their strategy to reduce conflict with Trinity Park. The lax players had a prior lease for the current academic year which Duke honored. The funny thing is, by taking the houses nearest Duke off the student housing market they will only drive the rowdy students further off campus and into the community.
Thank god. They were rank when I moved in and they were only about 5 years old.
Fastest thing I could find googling..
"Duke University actually bought the house that the team captains lived in. Duke owns the house where this alleged gang rape occurred. They tried to buy several houses in the community and sell them to single families, who would agree to fix up the houses and live in the community so that the other residents in the community wouldn‘t have to continuously call police about drunken parties and all kinds of disorderly conduct."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12065692/
But it has been reported many times elsewhere, including on this site.
Hey Duke mom and duke '79, Duke '85 here. Sorry about the Edens thing. I always wondered how the new dorms people could stand those buildings. Do either of you know if these guys are associated with a frat? Most of the Lacrosse players in my day were Sigma Chi which I think almost died after being moved with the Bozo's for various scandals. The Phi Delts are similarly depressed due to a move to new dorms (old new dorms). I would hate to see the lacrosse program die like certain frats. I have a couple of young lacrosse players myself and eventhough one couldn't hack Duke the other certainly could and I was hoping that might happen.
LOL...I thought a FReeper made that up.
THANK YOU! That's what I've been wondering.
So when there is a 911 call, do the campus cops show up?
Duke buying off-campus housing
But the home is part of the deal. In all, Duke paid nearly $4 million for a dozen houses in the Trinity Park and Trinity Heights neighborhoods. The houses will be fixed up a bit and sold to families willing to invest in and live in the homes. They will no longer be rented by students.
“There have been some tensions between students who live in some of those properties and neighbors over large parties and noise and whatever else,” said Duke University Senior Vice President John F. Burness.
Neighbors say they're sick of loud parties, litter, and beer cans and will welcome new home owners into the community with open arms.
“Having those properties occupied by students has really degraded the properties,” said Jennifer Mannelli.
Hate to leave, but got to get on with the day. I'm on the west coast and the day's half gone and I have an appt. in 2 hours and a dinner party in 4 hours and I'm never going to be ready!!! I look forward to checking in late tonight, tho. Always interesting to see what you all come up with!!
Not only are they very very very liberal, Brodhead defended hosting a Palestinian terrorist recruitment speaker last year on the basis of "free speech". My husband, also Duke '85, was a liberal back then and took a class with McGovern. The best thing my dad ever said about me was, when asked what that liberal school did to his daughter's thought process, said "Seemed to have had the opposite effect." I ask if they are hosting terrorists every time they call us for money (which they will never get).
If you were actually following this case, then you would already know the answer to your above question.
Just think about it, who showed up at 610 Buchanan responding to the 911 call on March 14th?
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