After digesting the NYT piece for 24 hours and backing up to look at the big picture, I'm thinking this: Gottlieb's work of fiction is more to mitigate against the upcoming civil suits than to prop up the prosecution's case.
What say you?
I think he's trying to buttress the flimsy identifications and the search warrants.
The notes are CYA for all fronts. Nifong can now say that he was relying on Gottlieb for all information, and Gottlieb can argue with Himan, the medical staffs, etc. about what was said months ago. The most favorable reading to Nifong is that the notes support probable cause but not conviction. It gives Nifong a decent press moment but will pass quickly because there is no substance and way too many contradictions and inconsistencies. Ultimately, he can defend himself before the bar and in court by shifting all blame to Gottlieb. I doubt it will help very much. For example, it is hard to believe that medical staffs would prepare such benign written reports but describe far more serious injuries.
In the end, Gottlieb's notes will help the defense because they are so clearly contrived that it will bolster the argument that the case was a canard. In most other states, the charges would have never been brought or would have been dismissed but NC has some strange procedures.