Duke Rape Case Defense: Throw Out DA Nifong and Photo ID

ABC ^ | May 1, 2006 | CHRIS CUOMO, ERIC AVRAM, and LARA SETRAKIAN

[don'tbedenied]

Accused Duke lacrosse player Reade Seligmann's attorneys want Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong thrown off the case.

Today, they filed a legal motion specifically asking for it.

"DA Mike Nifong neglected his duty as a prosecutor to seek the truth and a fair prosecution," the defense's motion reads.

The motions were filed just 24 hours before Nifong's Tuesday election in which he's fighting to keep his seat. Nifong is being challenged by former prosecutor Freda Black and private lawyer Keith Bishop

[Howlin]

No, I live in Raleigh, but my aunt has a house there on the sound.

[snarkytart]

I'm sorry. The Juan Williams piece is an NPR commentary on Durham and its realtions to Duke. Juan really didn't give his opinion, just a lot of quotes from local community people. Maybe you can save the link for home? I found it helped to explain how Nifong got elected.
I'd include the trancript, but I'd have to pay for it!

___

Can you give me an overview on what the voters were saying?
If not, I guess I can wait until I get home.

thanks

[snarkytart]

I heard Megan Kendall last night say the lawyers expected this to go to trial before the endof the year--meaning Nifong would try it win or lose.

___

There will definitely be a change of venue. No judge would risk a case being overturned on appeal by not moving it.
There is a lot of video footage of the DA and others screaming for the LAX player's heads at the beginning of this case.

[Miss Behave]

"The video at WRAL shows one of the attorneys for the players hugging Nifong. Guess his retainer wasn't large enough? If I were a competent attorney I'd be as far from Nifong as possible. IMO , he's an embarrassment to the profession."

A hug may quite possibly have been a deliberate, premeditated, public signal of solidarity--and given that the lawyer chose to take the subsequent, assured, large PR hit in trade--exhibits the gesture's probability of being more/other than a case of "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

[snarkytart]

They're pretty busy, but he has control over when it goes on the docket.
__

I would ask for a speedy trial if I were the defendants.

[Neverforget01]

I think the one commenter that stood out for me was a former Duke professor, long time resident of Durham. He said that some in Durham hate Duke. No matter what good the University does in the community they hate Duke. I could be wrong, but the former professor sounded Black. Another was a writer for the UCCU newspaper writer who claimed students would back the accuser whether "she was lying or not."

[Neverforget01]

maggief, TexKat,

Thanks for the Greta link. I have to say, this guy is a piece of work...and now he believes he has the public support, scary.

[uncitizen]

There is a difference tho, between letting a guilty man go free (OJ) and putting an innocent person in prison. I hope this jury isn't as vindictive against the white defendants as OJ's jury was against the white victims/white cops.

[snarkytart]

ok..thanks for the overview.

Would Durham like Duke University and Duke Medical Center to leave and go somewhere else?
Maybe they can call for a bill to be passed or something.

sheesh

[Howlin]

So would I. They certainly have that right.

[Neverforget01]

No..I think it sounds like the classic "haves vs. have nots"

[Brytani]

I'm not surprised he won. Name recognition wins elections such as this, and good or bad, his name is known.

Also, I figure those who normally wouldn't bother voting for a simple prosecutor election followed the lead of their handlers in hopes those horrible rich white boys will be tarred and feathered.

Now we wait to see if the court removes Nifong from the case. If it is true he's refused to speak to the defense concerning the vast amount of alibi information they have for one of the defendants he should be. He should also be brought in front of the GA Bar Association for his actions.

[snarkytart]

maggief, TexKat,

Thanks for the Greta link. I have to say, this guy is a piece of work...and now he believes he has the public support, scary.

____

He can fool himself if he wants to.

Freda Black and Nifong were very close in votes and if Republicans were allowed to vote in the Dem primary he would have lost.
Nifong certainly is not supported by the majority in Durham. At least that is what I hope.

[Neverforget01]

Nifong has been struck with Mangum Disease

On WRAL "I didn't have a sense of what the vote was going to be"

On Greta about the vote being 46% to 41%..That's about what he expected?

How far apart were these interviews? minutes?

[snarkytart]

Clearly he loves this spotlight.

He won the battle, now let him lose the war.

[don'tbedenied]

Snarky:

From his perspective he won the war, the Lax boys are just pawns to get reelected.

[maggief]

He enjoys both sides of the fence.

I found his comments on why he's going forward with this case interesting. There was a woman neighbor who spoke early on about the goings on in the neighborhood. This was before I was following the case. Do you recall her name?

[TexKat]

Nifong may have pressured by this group, for one: http://trinitypark.org/

I see what you are saying.

Duke lacrosse tied to raucous parties

[Dukie07]

My student's finals are going great, thanks for asking. Only one paper left to turn in. So, do I think that the dorm room will be all packed and ready to go when I get there Saturday??? Yeah, right!!

[TexKat]

There was a woman neighbor who spoke early on about the goings on in the neighborhood. This was before I was following the case. Do you recall her name?

Sebring?