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 ...
Time to take a peak at the sluts Federal Tax Forms. I know, I know...it's for the children!!
Some DA - friend of the crooks, and terror of the innocent. Typical democrat.
Did you ever see the movie "Mouse Hunt"? This entire thing reminds me of the scene where the brothers are trying to catch the mouse by laying mousetraps over nearly every square inch of the kitchen, backing themselves solidly into a corner with no hope of escape.
"I've done nothing wrong, and I won't do it again!"
That made me gag!
He wasn't on that long, but did make some good points about the rape kit. I didn't realize that evidence could go back 5 days.
I was just at the hairdressers and not one person in there believes the stripper and they were all outraged, I mean really ticked off, at the school for not standing by these young men and at the out of control DA.
Well, Crystal DID.
Who, if anyone, does Nifong directly answer to? Is there no one who has the authority to go to him and find out before the primary whether there is evidence not yet revealed, as all the pundits insist must be the case if Nifong is not a complete idiot?
For the Durham voters to vote on May 2, with no outside authoritative reassurance that Nifong is proceeding in good faith, is not in the public interest. How could Nifong continue as DA if he wins, but is later shown to have acted unethically?
Good morning! Is this the thread we're on today? Trying to play catch-up---reading as fast as I can!
Hi. New poster, but have been following threads with much interest for days. You people rock! Two things:
With respect to how the school has handled this: I support President Brodhead. I think he did what was necessary to protect the other 6000+ students at the school. His response to suspend play was measured; his cancellation of the season was spurred by the email - that in itself was at least as inflamatory to the black community as the allegation was. In all press releases he has professed the need to let due process take it's course. IMO, to do or say otherwise, would not be prudent.
With respect to "injuries" consistent with rape: could a dildo cause such injuries and not leave dna? I know nothing about the escort trade, but might that be something an "escort" would have in their "bag of tricks"? Might account for the missing minutes between when AV left the house and was dumped at Kroger's. BTW, why does a grocery store need a security guard??? Yikes.
While I believe one should never say never, I don't think a rape occurred in that house.
I hope Nifong fries.
Let's not forget that DA Nifong is the real victim here.
Well, well, well
This certainly explains a lot about why Kim didn't want to be ID'd that night. And it wasn't because her family didn't know she was a stripper! She had a warrant out on her! Seems she hadn't complied with any terms of her probabtion on the embezzlement charge!
She got a pass....for favorable testitmony against the LAX team.....isn't that like a bribe?
Allowing due process to take it's course=innocent til proven guilty, then, so why did he suspend the two boys?
Welcome to Fr, BTW.
Well, it WOULD have been win-win if she wasn't RIP as a potential witness, now that her credibility is toast.
I respect your opinion, but disagree about Brodhead. When all of this is proven to be a lie, what then? And what "due process" did he wait on before throwing the entire LAX team under the bus? Some of those team members weren't even in town during the alleged crime. Due process? Scuse me?
On second thought, since Kimmy is the one who is taking her clothes off for money, and since she is angry at the ones who are paying her, it's more like "Love the sin, hate the sinner."
Why would you support the President of Duke? He treated the students like they were guilty without a trial?
From that article, it seems she hasn't paid any restitution for the embezzlement.
Calling Jesse Jackson! Scuse me...yoo-hoo...Jesse...over here....Kim needs attention. Crystal gets college paid for due to her lies. Kim needs $25,000 to pay for her crime. Otherwise....her story will change, once again. Highest bidder gets the version they want.
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