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 ...
Priceless! Nothing like a good laugh when you have insomnia. Thanks for the ping.
I love it when the enemy begins to cut each other up...
The N&O coverage has been so one-sidedly biased in favor of the accuser that their own Reader's Editor (ombudsman) has taken the editors to task twice: 1) First, in response to the paper's early softball interview with the accuser which was entirely sympathetic and didn't include any similar information about the players and 2) when the paper in the front section of its Sunday, April 2 edition, printed the team poster with pictures and names included. I wonder how long the accuser or Kim might have spent examining that poster before any IDs were made?
I went back and carefully read the N&O article. They've definitely thrown Nifong under the bus...
I love how Nifong says "you make yourself a VICTIM", instead of "you make yourself a TARGET". He sees the world through a warped prism, and is entirely unfit to hold the lives of people in his hands.
CBS playing up that the DA went easy on Kim Roberts for the probie violation...
The media is bailing on this big time. Too bad they don't know how to be fair and impartial from the get go. From what I've been reading, even Nancy Grace has shut her big mouth. Now that's something.
We had even set up a separate thread for NG last nite. She spent all of 45 seconds on the story...
Excellent point. If anything, he is a victim of his own incompetence and narcissism. At this point, I don't care who defeats him, as long as he's gone. It will send a message to DA's in every state. If it doesn't, we need to start sending one.
Man, formatting is my friend : (
I'm glad that CBS has jumped on the bandwagon, but their previous reporting was the typical tripe we've been reading about. Of course this is the Los Angeles area station we're watching. Others might be reporting differently.
Way to go, Mike...jump on that victimhood bandwagon. It seems to be working so well for Crystal. Maybe you'll get the Rainbow Coalition to pay your legal fees when you're hauled up before a judge for malfeasance.
Roy Black up on NBC about this case...
Someone on another thread this morning posted an article from 1992 about a police corruption case in which the DA brought in the SBI to clean house. The DA then was Ronald L. Stephens, who is now the judge who handled the recent indictments. I think one reason there hasn't been a gag order issued is because Stephens, a former DA, realizes how unethical Nifong has been and is allowing the defense to leak evidence that points to the players' innocence.
Discussion upcoming on Fox & Friends shortly...
So at least the judge has some brains?
Fox just said Craig Mitnik will be on to discuss case...
They hyped it to the skies when it first unfurled and beat the reputations of all those guys to mincemeat!!!!
No way....I say NO WAY should the families of these boys allow anyone to say...'nothing to see here, let's move on'....ONCE Nyfond and gang realize they've been had!
These students have lost respect...(for goodness sakes, lots of them were't even there)...they've lost school time, credits, some have lost job potential!!!!!
The parents of these young men should ream out!! the media, the DUKE PRESIDENT! who I think a wuss of the highesest order, the DA, the strippers, etc etc etc.
Given these men have learned a hard lesson about what their 'fun time' should involve.....
...but for goodness sakes, they're college age young men, 18, 19, 20....and college age young men...and women...do stupid things.
This outcome is beyond believable.
I hope the parents hang on to the culprits like pitbulls and get their names cleared!!!!!!
The payback's gonna be a bitch for the Driveby Media. Count on it....
Turned it on. Usually miss every darn show. Thanks for the ping.
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