Nifong Press Release 6/19/2006 (Nifong Attacks Press!!)

wral.com ^ | June 19, 2006 | Mike Nifong

[TommyDale]

My guess would be Michael Peterson, the murder case from a couple of years ago.

[Mad-Margaret]

That's true. Back in April (or May), bond was set at $50K for a defendant accused of murder in a gang related slaying.

[pepperhead]

You know who the judge was in that case?

[Mad-Margaret]

Maggief will find it, but I'll look.

[maggief]

http://brandonh.newsvine.com/_news/2006/04/21/173216-durham-double-standard-teen-charged-in-murder-gets-50000-bond-while-duke-rape-players-set-at-400000


Article Source: heraldsun.com


DURHAM -- A $50,000 bond was set Wednesday for one of two teens accused in Durham's first homicide of 2006, the March fatal shooting of 24-year-old Alvin Lee Jones.

Nicholas Alexander Mack, 17, previously had been held without bond in the case.

He and Dontae Daevon Jones, 18, are charged with shooting Alvin Jones in the back at the Bentwood Park apartment complex on Junction Road in eastern Durham. Authorities have said the shooting apparently was gang-related.

Superior Court Judge Ron Stephens rejected a defense request that Mack's bond be set as low as $25,000.

"My focus is on community security," the judge said.

[Mad-Margaret]

You beat me by a minute!

[pepperhead]

It would be funny if they brought that up to him during Seligmann's hearing tomorrow. But I doubt his lawyers would do such a thing and risk angering the judge.

[Dukie07]

Just found an interesting tidbit whilst googling.

"NPRP data for 1992 show that the fugitive rate (defined as the percent of released defendants who failed to appear and were not returned to court after one year) for surety releases is slightly lower than for conditional releases, three percent to five percent. On the other hand, a 1987 study of pretrial release in Durham, North Carolina found that the percent of fugitives released on surety was nearly twice as high as for other releases, 26 percent to 14 percent."

What does this mean? I interpret this to mean that 26% of those released on bond in Durham don't show up for trial. Is that correct? Dang! If so, Durham makes money on bail...

Link: http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:WsBA5rEBL_YJ:www.pretrial.org/commsuretybail.doc+durham+bail&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=61

(Sorry if I'm not doing this correctly...)

[CondorFlight]

You can find the bonds set in Judge Stephens' court at

http://www1.aoc.state.nc.us/www/data/DURHAM/calendar/SUPERIOR.CASE_MANAGEMENT_.06.19.06.AM.001S.CAL.txt

Note the amounts, and the crimes. . .
($30,000 for rape of a 6-year old;
$75,000 for attempted first degree murder; etc.)

[pepperhead]

She's just to good.......... ;)

[maggief]

LOL

Wonder what his bond was set at?

http://www.wral.com/news/9405913/detail.html

Wake Forest Recruit Indicted On Rape, Kidnapping Charge

POSTED: 4:23 pm EDT June 21, 2006
UPDATED: 4:23 pm EDT June 21, 2006

SANFORD, N.C. -- Wake Forest recruit Dennis Godfrey has been indicted on charges of rape and kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl, according to court records.

Godfrey, a 6-foot-3, 255-pound tight end recruited out of Lee County High School, is also accused of second-degree sexual offense and sexual battery. He could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted on all four counts. The indictments were issued by a grand jury Monday and made public Tuesday.

The accuser says the crimes happened around Oct. 1. Godfrey's father, Dennis Godfrey Sr., said his son and the accuser interacted at a family cookout.

(snip)

[pepperhead]

Good grief....... The papers should bring this up.

[Mad-Margaret]

Thanks. This is just mind boggling.

And there would have to be more evidence supporting the charges in those cases because there is none against the players.

[Locomotive Breath]

What's Mike Nifong going to do with this?

Former Prosecutor's Campaign Manager Faces Domestic Violence Charges

[abb]

Lol, Nifong's got too much else on his plate to worry about this one..

[Dukie07]

Campaign manager dude could be in trouble...

I did find a 2004 rape case where bail was set at $350,000.
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2004/07/forest_0704.html

Be interesting to see if it was subsequently reduced.

[maggief]

Perhaps she'll drop the charges ... like Chalmer's. ;)


http://listings.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A18856

[Mike Nifong]

I can't remember for sure, but I don't think those particular lawyers had been engaged by the defense prior to Crystal and Kim talking to them.

I don't think Woody Vann is a defense lawyer and I'm pretty sure I remember that Kim contacted Cheshire before all this blew up in public.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Woody Vann Defended Crystal in Court - DEFENSE.
The lawyer Kim went into see - amongst others was James Butch Williams. I think you're thinking of him.

But, Woody Vann says Crystal contacted him a couple days after the party. Of course, he won't say why.
Kim IS and has been represented by Mark Simeon. Simeon has said he hopes to represent her is a CIVIL trial and the AV. Simeon also represents the AV parents and has reached out to Willie Gary.

So I'm saying it's very unusual to have a WITNESS (KIM) seeing Defense lawyers and having a CIVIL lawyer.
Same with the AV, ostensibly she's a victim, why the need to see Lawyers?

IMO, Either wanted advise on Civil (Money) matters - or they were afraid that when the evidence was examined more closely - they could be in trouble with the law. Now, not everyone knows a legal grasp. Maybe the AV was afraid at trial that the Judge would have an option to pick from the guilt of the players or hers. In other words, the trial could backfire on her and she could be the one sentenced. Many people don't understand the basics, so don't laugh.

thanks

[Locomotive Breath]

"seeing Defense lawyers" as opposed to "the Defense lawyers for the lax team"

That's where we ran aground.

[JLS]

I guess the question now is, is he going to leave Stevens on the job or go with Hardin.

I think Stephens rotates out of Durham county on the 1st. He could stay on this case, but that may be unlikely. [Yes in NC you elect judges in local elections and they rule on cases in other jurisdiction maybe most of their time.]

If it is not Stephens, I am not sure. I am not sure who the roster of judges for that jurisdiction is. I don't know if they all rotate 1 July or if some do or who other than Stephens is currently doing cases there.

All I know is that it is SHOCKING that NC DAs have so much power over judges. I can not believe for a second that were an nullification jury to convict on this case, a federal judge would toss this for lack of a speedy trial, the DA having this power over DAs not to mention the lineup etc.