Show went on without the DA
'60 Minutes' tape in hand, he says
Michael Biesecker, Staff Writer, N&O, Published: Oct 17, 2006 12:30 AM
DURHAM - Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong said Monday he did not watch a "60 Minutes" segment highly critical of his handling of the Durham lacrosse rape investigation.
"I didn't actually see that report," Nifong said when asked about the show, which aired Sunday night. "It would be kind of hard for me to comment on something I hadn't seen."
"60 Minutes" reporter Ed Bradley interviewed Dave Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann -- the three men charged six months ago with raping an escort service dancer hired to perform at a spring break party attended by members of the Duke University lacrosse team. It was the first time Finnerty and Seligmann have spoken publicly about the case.
Asked whether, as the prosecutor, he was disinterested in what the accused players had to say, Nifong responded curtly.
"I have a tape of it. I have a transcript of it. I didn't watch it," he said. "There was no need for me to watch it last night."
Bradley's report portrayed Nifong as a prosecutor motivated to charge someone in the rape case more by politics than evidence. Nifong was in the midst of a Democratic primary when the charges were filed.
Though he was concerned about the potential for such publicity to influence future jurors, Nifong said Monday he didn't think the nationally televised report would significantly harm his prospects for re-election in the November.
"You know, we're not going to know after the election is over whether it made any difference or not," he said. "It's a totally separate issue."
http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/499442.html
Duke Rape Case: Nifong Has No Evidence
By Michael J. Gaynor
Oct 15, 2006
Watching the "60 Minutes" expose on the Duke rape case on October 15 was a pleasure. Having "60 Minutes" on one's side is very helpful. The visuals were very effective, especially the sincere faces of each of the Duke Three contrasted with Crystal Gail Mangum, the sly accuser lying on the floor during her "performance" and dancing partly naked with a pole a couple of weeks later.
Like the child in the fable who said that the pompous emperor was not wearing any clothes and thereby opened deluded people's eyes, "60 Minutes" exposed the fact that Durham County, North Carolina District Attorney Michael B. Nifong does not have credible evidence to support his case against the Duke Three (and also exposed his egregious misconduct and now ludicrous lies).
All of the young men whom Ms. Mangum falsely accused spoke to "60 Minutes," but not Ms. Mangum.
That's a hint as to who is telling the truth.* -more- cut--
http://www.postchronicle.com/commentary/article_21244698.shtml
* A rare commodity in this town.
More video from CBS interviews with the players--outtakes that were not shown on the 60 Minutes show, at :
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml
One early part of the the interview that did not see print---
Reporter: Mr. Nifong aren't those your entrails on the floor? Wouldn't you like to pick them up so that someone doesn't slip on them.
Nifong: Ooops. Sorry.