How about this hypothesis:
There is a vice crime operation in Durham that involves or is facilitated by city or county employees. That operation runs local prostitution, drugs, gambling, etc, all the usual stuff, in Durham. Minor players in this ring might include, for example, the cab driver from Namibia who has gotten off with a laundry list of crimes. In fact, CGM and Kim have been let off from a laundry list of crimes, partly because they work for this operation (remember I am only hypothesizing this). They may have even been recruited because they could be controlled by the threat of prosecution for their crimes.
CGM and KR are mere bit players who have their bodies rented out by this syndicate/mob. One night CGM goes nuts and panics and in the absence of direct control, starts screaming rape and creates a situation that potentially draws the spotlight right to the vice ring's operations -- if someone starts digging deep enough.
Nifong is in a very hotly contested and bitter race for the DA spot with a white woman. He gets wind of CGM's allegations and sees the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone -- one, curry favor with the local black population by validating the most incendiary black slavery fantasies, and two, have a sword that he can hang over the local crime syndicate to make them control the election for him. He probably can get other favors, too, as long as he has something to hang over them.
Nifong proceeds to play up this obviously bogus case, and to try to manufacture bogus evidence, bend potential witnesses and use any other underhanded device he can think of to lynch these 'rich white boys.' In this, he seems to have the cooperation of the local police, city manager, judges, etc. Meanwhile he has the entire University by the shorthairs as well. He is in heaven. He marches the clean-cut college boys into court, wrists handcuffed behind their backs, with the national cameras rolling and publicity beyond his wildest dreams.
But Nifong, being none too bright, finds as time goes on that he has painted himself into a corner. The national media picks this up and begins to magnify this thing beyond the local boundaries where Nifong and his cronies have some control. There is danger that the state or the Justice Department might start looking at this. These young men get crack defense lawyers who can outsmart DingDong in their sleep.
The local Black Panthers get involved as the 'muscle' for this vice operation and start threatening anybody and everybody. They even threaten a defendant in the courtroom (an action unbelievable in most courtrooms but apparently not even of note in a Durham courtroom.)
Meanwhile, Nifong put CGM on ice big time. Why? Ostensibly because she might be in danger from the white establishment. In reality, it would be because CGM is now a major liability to this local crime syndicate, and has caused major problems for her bosses.
My sense of things is that CGM is in grave danger and that sooner or later they're going to find her dead from an apparent suicide. The local party line will be that she could no longer stand the pain and humiliation that these evil white boys had brought to her and she had to do away with herself.
The only hole I can think of in this scenario is why is Nifong still hanging on, and why would the police, etc, cooperate with him? The answer to the second could only be that they are now in too deep. They continue to think they can put enough of a smokescreen that the world thinks these boys are guilty and doesn't look too much further. I think in Nifong's case it may also be because as soon as he doesn't have the sword held over certain heads, he is also dead meat, figuratively if not literally.
"My sense of things is that CGM is in grave danger and that sooner or later they're going to find her dead from an apparent suicide."
This concerns me, too.
However, all she has to do is refuse to press charges or testify, claiming she doesn't want to relive all that.
She's done this before, and nothing happened, so why not just do it again?
Nifong will be off the hook and there's nothing anybody can do to Crystal (she's lawsuit-proof).
Some of your theory may turn out to be right. I didn't think at first that this case was tied to anything else, however, it's gotten real weird with Baker.
To add credibility to your theory, Crime and corruption has been all through the Durham power structure in the past.
I also think it's clear Nifong got in over his head. He has said he underestimated the Press interest. I think he also
underestimated his chances to do Durham Justice under the radar.
It is very possible Kim or Crystal are informants or have been in the past. Their sentences were ridiculously light. Something is going on there.
I will say that I don't think Nifong needed anything or anyone after he aggressively and publicly pursued the White Devils.
There is also a connection with Nifong and Mark Simeon - Kim's attorney that is advising the Magnum family at this time. Simeon brought the black vote to Nifong according to one report. Simeon and Nifong were political enemies. After Nifong brought indictments he met with Simeon and Simeon agreed to go out and campaign for Nifong and vouch for him with the black community. Simeon is looking for a civil award of some type and he is the one that has met with the Magnum Family and Willie Gary (Famous Black Civil lawyer). Kim Roberts also totally changed her story after signing on with Mark Simeon. Basically, Kim is only marketable if she's on Crystal's side. There is no money for Kim Roberts if she contradicts Crystal's case and there's no heinous crime. But, if she supports Crystal, BET, Essence, JET, Ebony, and on and on. She can be a celebrity in the black community.
I wonder if Baker has a relationship with Simeon? This is like a Ponzi scheme. Simeon has Roberts sign his contract for representation (civil) and I bet he already has Crystal signed. He gets 10% or whatever and Willie Gary will get 30%.
article on Simeon advising Magnum family:
http://www.newsobserver.com/122/story/440843.html
I think they both are (CGM more than the other one) and have been ever since this case hit the national news. It would probably be an accidental drug overdose, a la Marilyn Monroe
Is there another kind ? ;)