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 ...
Good get, Tex
>>Seligmann and Finnerty are apparently the second and third members of the team to be suspended from Duke. Earlier this month, the school suspended sophomore Ryan McFadyen, 19, of Mendham, N.J., after authorities investigating the rape allegations released a search warrant for his dorm room that included a vulgar and graphic e-mail sent from his Duke account, which Brodhead called sickening and repulsive.
Duke said federal law prohibits the school from discussing individual students, but confirmed McFadyens suspension after he signed a waiver allowing the university to comment.<<
So it's against the law to discuss individual students, but he does it anyway??!! Flippin' CREEP!!!
Well, I guess I should feel special then :-D
I find that statement to be incorrect MHGinTN. I am black and I and others that I know don't give a thought to Jackson, nor Sharpton until they show up on the scene. I know of no one near and dear to me or in my circle that holds either one to high esteem.
I do agree with Jesse Peterson's article regarding this matter.
Yep, when they hired a stripper, they invisioned 'big foot' dancing on one leg.
He hasn't begun to feel pain yet. Even Democrats get to feel pain on occasion. I have a feeling that this guy won't even be able to chase ambulances once this is over. I want this to serve as a warning to every DA in this country: do your job, and you won't have to worry about reelection.
If Al and Jesse are so impotent how is it that they can race bait so effectively for the democrap party?
Time for dinner...hope to chat with you soon...hubby says hello!
Classic Adult Entertainment.
Tell him the Queen sends her love.
I'm curious as to why you want me and everyone else to read an account of less than we have already found out via FR research? You go read Ann Coulter's piece on this travesty. The 'boys' should have taken their mothers' advice and the 'escort female' should have had better sense than to go the address nearly naked and without body guards.
I think if you have a legal lease on a property then the landlord can't give permission to have it searched without your say so. This came up with the rooms in Edens when the cops were there. Those rooms can't be searched without a warrant either.
"Using the name Adam, Dan Flannery, a senior team captain, called an escort service and hired two dancers for $400 each."
Didn't she say that an "Adam" was one of the boys who raped her?
Since no one else has replied, Ruth Sheehan and Barry Saunders are column writers for the Raleigh News and Observer. You can find Ruth's advance thinking here
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/ruth/index.php
RHEO!!! Oh my gosh! Long time, no chat! lol
All is well, and you and yours?
Ok...back to the skank....they didn't list all that was in her make-up bag. Unless....pills, K-Y jelly, money etc. Just typical working girl stuff! LOL
You are right. Constitutional rights apply to the government. Duke can pretty much do what they want. And we can be disgusted with them for it.
Gun to head? (No one in this case is saying that but it's only a matter of time)
I don't have the answer for you on that. The only thing that I can tell you is that blacks that I talk to never have anything good to say about either. The responses are either negative or humorous.
Jesse is actually race baiting for his own personal gain. And one may want to look at the media (Fox News and MSNBC's Hardball) for providing especially Sharpton a platform.
I guarantee you if Sharpton did not get so much face time on cable news he would fade away into nothingness.
This too shall pass!
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