Nifong a Topic at State Bar Council (and Feds Decline to Act for Now)

Eyewitness News 11 ^ | 1/16/07

[freespirited]

This week Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong could be slapped with more charges related to his handling of the Duke Lacrosse case.

This week the State Bar Council will be holding its quarterly meetings in Raleigh. During this time, the agency could add ethics charges against the Durham district attorney.

Nifong recused himself from the Duke Lacrosse case shortly after the state bar filed an ethics complaint against him last month. He's accused of misconduct for statements he made to the media last spring.

In a letter obtained by Eyewitness News, defense attorney, Joe Cheshire requested to meet with Nifong in March about the statements.

"I do not understand why you will reportedly speak to the media in such certain, condemning terms before all the evidence is in, but you will not have the courtesy to meet or even speak with a representative of someone you have publicly condemned," Cheshire stated in the letter.

Nifong could also face additional charges for withholding DNA evidence that was favorable to the accused players. Evidence that is now in the hands of the state's Attorney General.

"We accept these cases with our eyes wide open to the evidence, but with blinders on for all other distractions," Roy Cooper said.

The State Bar Council meets today.

The council will decide this spring if his public comments about the case were a violation of the professional rules of conduct. Nifong's ethics meeting is scheduled for May.

No Federal Probe

The U.S. Attorney General's office has responded to Congressman Walter Jones' request for a federal probe of the Duke Lacrosse Case.

In a letter delivered Thursday, Alberto Gonzales' office wrote that it would be, "Premature to initiate a federal investigation pending a criminal trial."

This means the Attorney General will not be getting involved in the case at this time.

[justshutupandtakeit]

WTH, that isn't IRISH? On cold days I take a flask of Bushmills to the Bears games. Now that is whiskey. I never even heard of Irish whiskey until about ten years ago and cared for no other. Now it is the only whiskey I drink.

If Nfong is put on trial I will open a bottle of Champagne.

[F.J. Mitchell]

I know Jeze. I just can't understand how the North Carolina version of (snicker) wheels of justice can squash the lives and reputations of three obviously innocent, young American citizens into the slime of the warped, twisted,rotting and seemingly eternal cess pool,of the cover our own ass and to hell with the guilt or innocence of those who look to us for justice, good ol' boys network.

It's scary to know that they think, they can flaunt the law of the land and the Constitutional rights of American citizens, before the whole country, and continue the same ol' same ol'.

These three boys are innocent of all charges, period. DA Nifong is guilty of doing his damndest to frame these young men. The whole d*mn world knows he conspired with the lab manager to withhold DNA evidence that showed beyond the shadow of a doubt that no Lacrosse player's DNA was present on or in the accuser, while the DNA of multiple other men drenched her inside and out.

Nifong is guilty as sin and anyone from the Governor,to the Attorney General to the MSM that says otherwise,are exposing their defense of the good ol' boy network above the rights and expectations of every law abiding citizen in America.

[Enterprise]

I like it because it is American. But I wish I were close enough to attend the Bears games.

[FreePaul]

This tread concerns the inaction of the US Attorney General and the local US Attorney in one case. The fact is that aggressive prosecution in other cases, some concerning border agents and some concerning other law enforcement officers in border situations, shows inconsistent behavior by government officials. Trying to cover up questionable actions by ignoring them certainly reflects badly on the whole Bush administration and anyone who is willing to go along with them.

[Mad-Margaret]

It's January. Everybody's dieting.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I have been a Season's ticket holder for 30 years. Only funeral's keep me from Soldier Field.

[Ditto]

You do not have to be convicted of anything in order for your civil rights to be violated.

I'm sure you are correct on that in general, (it could be property, employment, privacy or any number of issues) but specifically on this criminal case, please tell me what rights protected under the constitution have been violated to date. My point on a potential conviction in this case is that is where their constitutional rights would have been violated considering all the shenanigans Nifong has pulled up to this point. To date, I can't see where any of their "rights" have been violated. Sure it is unfair to them, but my constitution does not have a "fair" clause in it.

[Alia]

lol! Any motivating reason will do. lol.

[Alia]

No, it's not. And no, it doesn't.

[Mr. Lucky]

The Defendants have all been arrested.

[Enterprise]

Now you've done it! I'm envious!

[Ditto]

Ditto is so into defending the treatment of the Duke players, I have to wonder if he/she is actively involved in the case on the side of the prosecution.

Up your's. I'm not defending anything except Federalism. How far do you want the Feds to go? Do you want to be able to appeal your traffic tickets to the Supreme Court? You want some Federal bureaucrat looking over every state court's shoulder?

Show me where some Federal law has been violated, and I'll be all for the DoJ getting involved. Until then, keep the feds the hell out.

[JoanOfArk]

Ubuntu! "fast."

http://iambecauseweare.wordpress.com/

Reclaiming our Spirit- Join us in a three day fast!!!


I will significantly increase my chocolate consumption in protest of Ubuntu's three day fast.

[Ditto]

So?

[TommyDale]

You've been told several times where the Duke students' rights were violated. You just don't want to see it. In a state like North Carolina, as corrupt as it is, I welcome the Feds to come in and clean house.

[Ditto]

So your theory is that all the federal conspiracy statutes that apply to the rest of us were written in such a way that they do not apply to attorneys or specifically prosecutors? I suspect if they tried the feds could make a federal case here for conspiring to violate the defendants civil rights.

If they are convicted, then I would agree, but as of now, none of the rights under Federal law have been violated.

[Alia]

I share your sentiment very much. It's going to take time to clean up all the bad laws authored by Marxists over the past 40 years. Those badlaws have been interbred with other laws. Kinda reminds me of the "interstate commerce" laws the Gay lobby was trying to foist onto California many years ago -- to force California to acknowledge the gay marriages from Hawaii. Using one specific law to bootstrap on another culturally suicidal law and issue.

[Alia]

Finally Jezebelle and all, maybe we could give Gonzolas the benefit of the doubt IF THE PENDING TRIAL HE WAS REFERING TO IS SCHEDULE 11 MAY, for defendant Nifong.

Say, what?

This doesn't surprise me, actually. There is also a pending hearing date in re the Border Guards, February something, but few are willing to even mention that.

[Mr. Lucky]

So the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution states: "No person shall be deprived of life, liberty,or property without due process of law."

[maggief]

Too Early to Investigate Nifong' s Handling of Duke Lacrosse Case, Justice Department Says

Tuesday, January 16, 2007


RALEIGH, N.C. — Officials from the Department of Justice have told a North Carolina congressman that it's too early to launch a federal investigation into the handling of the Duke lacrosse case, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Rep. Walter Jones wrote Attorney General Alberto Gonzales last month, asking that the Department of Justice investigate whether the district attorney prosecuting three Duke lacrosse players charged with sexual assault has violated the athletes' civil rights.

The department's Office of Legislative Affairs responded last week that it was premature to initiate a federal investigation while criminal charges and other investigations at the state level are ongoing, said Cynthia J. Magnuson, a Department of Justice spokeswoman.

Jones' spokeswoman Kathleen Joyce said Tuesday that the congressman still planned to meet next week with the head of the department's Civil Rights Division.

"He doesn't consider the letter received as a final response," Joyce said. "He's still pushing forward."

(snip)

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,244010,00.html