John Burness gets wet in police dunk tank | Monday, February 28, 2005
Posted on 01/16/2007 10:03:31 AM PST by 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.
I'll bet it has a due process clause and an equal protection clause, though. Nifong clearly, under color of law, made statements to the press which violated the canons of ethics and he conspired to secrete exculpatory evidence. It is certainly arguable that these acts amounted to a violation of the defendants' civil rights, especially considering the corrupt putridity of Nifong's motives in all this.
The Commerce Clause? I thought the gays were relying on the Full Faith and Credit Clause.
There is NO federal "public integrity commission". Try again.
There is a Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
"The Public Integrity Section oversees the federal effort to combat corruption through the prosecution of elected and appointed public officials at all levels of government."
http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/pin.html
I'll take a shot. Because they are wimps?
I'd use harsher language but I don't want to get banned.
Hearsay race baiting alert!
http://wilmingtonjournal.blackpressusa.com/news/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=75428&sID=4
EXCLUSIVE: DUKE OFFICIAL TOLD BY DUKE POLICE ''BOYS: CALLED DANCERS THE ''N AND B'' WORDS, WEEK OF JANUARY 18-24, 2007
by CASH MICHAELS
The Wilmington Journal
Originally posted 1/16/2007
EXCLUSIVE
[DURHAM. N.C.] A top Duke University official confirms that last spring, after allegations that a black exotic dancer was raped at a drunken Duke lacrosse player party made headlines, Duke Campus Police told him that when she and the second dancer first got there, unidentified white males inside were overheard saying, “ Oh no. We’re not going to f—k a nigger bitch.”
(snip)
In an exclusive phone interview Tuesday with The Wilmington Journal/Carolinian newspapers, John F. Burness, vice president of Public Affairs at Duke University, confirmed that’s what he was told by Duke Campus Police, in the presence of Duke Prof. Karla Holloway, an African-American, who was in his office at the time.
Burness also forwarded the newspapers a copy of his Jan. 3, 2007 email correspondence to Prof. Holloway, who first revealed the shocking allegation in an email to her colleagues that same day, explaining why she was stepping down from various committee assignments in protest of two of the indicted players being reinstated at the school.
“I will share with you what I have not previously shared publicly,” Holloway wrote to her colleagues Jan. 3. “It has colored this matter for me since last spring. It is legally hearsay, but nevertheless speaks volumes to what I think are the intricacies of the event that deserve a legal hearing.”
(snip)
You sure start whining when someone says something you don't like. You are not in the authority to forbid anyone from posting. Are you aware how stupid and arrogant you sound?
I am astonished that Burness would make that statement. I am completely stunned ~ not that such a statement "might" have been made, but that someone in an official capacity would have the gall to repeat such inflammatory hearsay. Absolutely frickin' unbelievable....
So, this latest allegation is based on what
Precious and Nikki said?
So far, the only proof anybody used bad words
are those of Nikki in her own famous 911 call.
Aha! You had spotted the other pincer, you sharp eyed one, you. ;>
"Duke Campus Police told him that when she and the second dancer first got there, unidentified white males inside were overheard saying, “ Oh no. We’re not going to f—k a nigger bitch.”"
This was another lie from Crystal Gail Mangum. Kim has said she heard no race-related remarks until she provoked the exchange of slurs as she was leaving in her car. Furthermore, the black lacrosse player was at the party until after the "show" and he says he heard no racial slurs. These people just can't let it go, can they? Holloway was right in the middle of things from day one. There can't be much doubt that she took part in determining administration's handling of the event.
Why is Burness releasing this hearsay report now? Is he trying to mitigate damages from the 88's statement?
Not only that, so somebody (presumably Crystal and Kim) overheard something said inside? It was so completely quiet (you mean those hooligans didn't have music playing, weren't talking and laughing, etc.) in the house that they could hear perfectly? It's third-hand, at best, hearsay and should never have been repeated by Burness. Unbelievably stupid comment for Burness to make. OK, I'm finally with you guys ~ fire the whole damn lot of Duke admins and all remaining 86 gang members.
So this was the justification in railroading the white boys?
The only news I want to hear about Nifong is:
"Today, Nifong started serving his 10 year term in a North Carolina state penitentiary for obstruction of justice, unlawful prosecution, and a hate crime".
Let's look at this sentence ONE MORE TIME:
Duke Campus Police told him [BURNESS] that when she and the second dancer first got there, unidentified white males inside were overheard saying, “ Oh no. We’re not going to f—k a nigger bitch.”
Hearsay from Crystal and/or Kim?
Or is the campus police female, and when the campus police female and the second dancer first got there (I guess the Duke LAX House), said campus police and second stripper heard this?
Is the Campus Police also Crystal?
Please, somebody, defrag this sentence from the article?
I read the entire article- it's quite obfuscated.
" Somebody " told the Durham police that the players yelled that phrase.
The Durham police then told the Duke police what " someone " had told them.
The Duke police then told the Burness, the Duke VP what the Durham police had told them.
The professor was in the office while the Duke VP spoke to the Duke police.
So, while it is quite true that professor Holloway did overhear the Duke VP repeat aloud, what he had just been told-there is no substantiation that anything he had just heard ...was true.
Burness continued, “I also knew that the Durham Police didn't clarify who apparently had said it.."
Gossip and rumor passed from department to department is now considered fact.
Seems like an attempt to make a "seemingly rational alibi" for Holloway's being a member of the Gang of 88. I guess if she resigns her teaching position, perhaps her contract stipulates she still gets paid for the term of her contract?
Sounds like this case. Why doesn't Duke and Faculty stop digging further into the abyss they've created for themselves?
Too rational, too ethical for them. Hmm..
I recall the pot-bangers making various similar statements, along with the New Black Panthers. It's part of their every day language.
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