I'm glad to see it's true. Hopefully this will speed up the end of the agony the boys & their families have had to endure. And speed up the beginning of the agony for Nifong. As well as the end of his career.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/12/sports/12cnd-duke.html?hp&ex=1168664400&en=03e2c8fad0bd02a4&ei=5094&partner=homepage
Prosecutor Asks State to Take Over Duke Case
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By DUFF WILSON
Published: January 12, 2007
DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 12 — The district attorney has asked the state attorney general to take over prosecution of the sexual offense and kidnapping case against three former Duke University lacrosse players, an official involved in the case said today.
Michael B. Nifong, the Durham district attorney, faxed the request to Jim Coman, head of the state attorney general’s special prosecution unit, today, the official said. Mr. Nifong decided he had no choice but to hand off the case because he faces a conflict of interest with ethics charges pending against him for his public comments on the case, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because there has yet to be an official announcement of the request.
Roy Cooper, the attorney general, is not expected to respond until early next week. If the attorney general’s office agrees to take the case, it will remove a prosecutor who has been a lightning rod for criticism. The district attorney’s request also indicates that the accuser still wants to press ahead with the case.
Mr. Nifong made the decision following lengthy conversations with the accuser in his courthouse office Thursday and again today, according to the official involved in the case.
Mr. Nifong had planned to recuse himself since shortly after the North Carolina State Bar filed an ethics complaint against him on Dec. 26, because that put him in a conflict of interest between defending his actions and prosecuting the case, the official said. But he had not been able to talk with the accuser about that because she had been in precarious health at the end of a pregnancy, the official said. The woman gave birth Jan. 3.
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I hope Nifong doesn't think he will get away with his own illegal and unethical activities. He should still face charges filed by the NC Bar, in addition to conspiracy and unethical conduct along with the lab guy, Meehan.