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Nifong a Topic at State Bar Council (and Feds Decline to Act for Now)
Eyewitness News 11 ^ | 1/16/07

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.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dnaevidence; dukelax; nifong
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To: TommyDale
It is a simple thing...their Civil Rights were violated. The law doesn't say they have to be black to have civil rights.


You would not know that from listening to the pulpit sound bites on monday's MLK day celebrations.


How many race baiters are just as racist as those they accuse?

Judging from yesterday, pretty much all of them.
41 posted on 01/16/2007 12:06:04 PM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: F.J. Mitchell
They were deprived of a timely trial by an impartial jury, for one thing. Is it not the duty of the Federal Government to defend the Constitutional rights of it's citizens?

The trial date will be within a year of the date of the alleged offense, which at least in my state, (Pennsylvania) is the official definition of a "speedy" trial.

42 posted on 01/16/2007 12:07:11 PM PST by Ditto
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To: freespirited
The DAs were supporting Nifong as late as this fall, offering support, mock juries, PR consultation...

Believe me, the DAs would see nothing wrong here if Nifong had gotten away with his shenanigans.

What the DAs see see now, though, is a LOT of political pressure that will end the free-for-all party they have had for so long.

THAT is why they are NOW running away from Nifong as fast as they can. They are trying to save themselves - and their sleazy way of life.
43 posted on 01/16/2007 12:08:00 PM PST by Fido969 ("The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax." - Albert Einstein)
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To: longtermmemmory
Why does everyone keep misspelling, "Persecutor"?
44 posted on 01/16/2007 12:08:05 PM PST by F.J. Mitchell (Only cannibalistic Muslims eat pork.)
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To: TommyDale
"It is a simple thing...their Civil Rights were violated. The law doesn't say they have to be black to have civil rights."

Specifically, what Civil Rights were violated? They have not been convicted of anything to my knowledge.

45 posted on 01/16/2007 12:09:26 PM PST by Ditto
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To: Neoliberalnot

"These slime balls will protect the worst of the worst. When was the last time a lawyer was sued for malpractice??"

I once had problems with a lawyer working for me. He really dropped the ball, missed filing dates, etc. Put my case in jeopardy.

I was outraged, and I threatened to sue him for what I called "legal malpractice." I don't know if such a thing even exists, but I was angry and feared he had harmed my outcome. Also told him I would report him to his state

He was screaming mad that I would dare think of suing him. He turned around and threatened to sue me, etc. Threats by an attorney are probably to be expected when you cross horms with them.

But I did get his attention. He got busy got the result he was originally paid to get.

End of story.

ps.
Attorneys don't like the idea of a client suing them, where they have to defend their own work. And they FEAR problems that mar their state BAR records.


46 posted on 01/16/2007 12:10:13 PM PST by truth_seeker
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To: CondorFlight

Should I be wearing tin foil? What exactly does the CIA have to do with this case?


47 posted on 01/16/2007 12:11:05 PM PST by Ditto
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To: Ditto

How about their right to a speedy trial, their denial of the exculpatory evidence, and the misconduct of the District Attorney? Who says they have to be convicted to have their civil rights denied?


48 posted on 01/16/2007 12:13:49 PM PST by TommyDale (If we don't put a stop to this global warming, we will all be dead in 10,000 years!)
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To: Ditto

Add excessive bail to my list. The original bail amount was $1 million each, even though the DA KNEW THEY WERE INNOCENT AND HE HAD NO DNA EVIDENCE!!

How about obtaining an indictment by a Grand Jury based on false evidence?

Lots of violations.


49 posted on 01/16/2007 12:16:38 PM PST by TommyDale (If we don't put a stop to this global warming, we will all be dead in 10,000 years!)
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To: Ditto

"Speedy" isn't the only word in the Constitution that has been bastardized to accomodate losers, liars, lawyers, liberals and leeches.


50 posted on 01/16/2007 12:16:50 PM PST by F.J. Mitchell (Only cannibalistic Muslims eat pork.)
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To: TommyDale
How about their right to a speedy trial, their denial of the exculpatory evidence, and the misconduct of the District Attorney? Who says they have to be convicted to have their civil rights denied?

Federal law. Unless they are unconstitutionally convicted of a crime or punished in some way, (or beaten up by the cops) there is not yet a violation of Civil Rights. It might happen, but more and more it looks as if these charges will be dropped and to date, they have not been harmed under the definition of federal law. I do not doubt that there have been lots of violations of NC state criminal procedures and that is for the state courts to address. It's not a Federal case until there is a conviction or some overt act on the part of state authorities (such as a beating.)

If you are aware of some specific violation of Federal law in regards to this, please point it out.

51 posted on 01/16/2007 12:24:15 PM PST by Ditto
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To: F.J. Mitchell

It is even worse.

The prosecutor's job is not only to prosecute crimes,
the prosecutor has an AFFIRMATIVE DUTY to dismiss cases in which the evidece does not support the accusation.

Contrary to TV fiction they are not supposed to win at all costs. (or as in Nifong's cases use them as disposable pawns because they have the wrong skin color)


52 posted on 01/16/2007 12:25:14 PM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Ditto

"What exactly does the CIA have to do with this case?"

Don't Victor Bout's airplanes fly for all sides?
Hasn't he been suspected of carrying Al Quaida's heroin to Europe from Afghanistan? Didn't his airplanes
make nearly 200 flights into Baghdad in one year, and did the USA intervene to prevent one of the Gulf states from arresting him?

(Google Victor Bout, Gambia, etc.)

Does the CIA ever intervene to protect its snitches and sometime operatives? Have they sometimes got a free pass
to operate their own businesses on the side?

Isn't Nigeria a major transit point for drugs on their way to the US?

Are strip clubs used a fronts for the distribution of drugs?

Do Olateyo (owner of the Palladium club and formerly of Africargo airlines--used on occasion by Bout) and Brian Taylor (Precious' driver) and Liberia's Interior Minister (police authority) and Bout and the CIA all have 6 degrees of separation?

And do the feds not want to turn over those rocks?

As they have avoided looking at Durham for years?


53 posted on 01/16/2007 12:27:53 PM PST by CondorFlight (I)
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To: F.J. Mitchell
"Speedy" isn't the only word in the Constitution that has been bastardized to accomodate losers, liars, lawyers, liberals and leeches.

The Pennsylvania Constitution is over 200 years old and in it, "speedy" is defined as within one year.

54 posted on 01/16/2007 12:28:14 PM PST by Ditto
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To: CondorFlight
This guy's a major drug kingpin with enough clout to pull the Feds around by the nose, yet he spends his weekends driving crack-head strippers to frat house parties?

What a hard working guy!

55 posted on 01/16/2007 12:32:48 PM PST by Ditto
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To: Ditto

"The Pennsylvania Constitution is over 200 years old and in it, "speedy" is defined as within one year."

Doesn't apply in NC. There one man was kept in jail awaiting trial for FOUR YEARS, and the NC courts said it was not a denial of speedy trial.

In California, if the state does not begin trial within 60 days of indictment, it must drop the charges (unless the defense requests an extension).

The 6th amendment does not apply in NC.


56 posted on 01/16/2007 12:32:55 PM PST by CondorFlight (I)
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To: Ditto

The very fact that the state refused to do anything about the corruption within Durham County, when they were aware of all those violations should have been enough for the Federal Justice Department to step in. The NC system is corrupt and broken, yet no one will lift a finger.


57 posted on 01/16/2007 12:36:16 PM PST by TommyDale (If we don't put a stop to this global warming, we will all be dead in 10,000 years!)
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To: Ditto

How about malicious prosecution?

Seriously, respectfully, I think you are a bit off in your analysis. Do not confuse the caution of Gonzalez with there not being a violation. Gonzalez is just avoiding the issue at this point.

The whole linchpin now is for the case to be dropped. Nifong and his enablers know the second the cases are rightfully dropped, all bets are off.

I bet there are some SERIOUS acrobatics going on at the bar trying to find a way to just slap nifong on the wrist.


58 posted on 01/16/2007 12:36:33 PM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Ditto

"This guy's a major drug kingpin with enough clout to pull the Feds around by the nose, yet he spends his weekends driving crack-head strippers to frat house parties?"

His papa is Interior Minister. Liberia is the transit point for diamonds, etc., out of Sierra Leone. Charles Taylor (former Liberian president) and Jesse Jackson (another North Carolinian) know all about that deal. (Google them.)

Said Interior Minister (who controls all police power in Liberia now) may even own more property in the US. Who knows what that property is used for.

WHY his stepson is driving around strippers, I have no idea.
I merely note the connection, and the reluctance of the feds to ever investigate anything in Durham.

Olateyo was connected with Africargo, and Africargo with the Central Bank of Gambia, and both of those with Victor Bout.
Why would he want to settle in Durham--which has no industry other than Duke university and no scenic attractons like Miami or the Bahamas? Except that Durham county and Johnson county are the home base for the CIA's ghost air force (the actions of which btw I support; except that those planes are alleged to not always return empty).

Google Olateyo, CIA ghost air force, etc.


59 posted on 01/16/2007 12:39:35 PM PST by CondorFlight (I)
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To: TommyDale

The politics of the elected in the legal profession (judges and prosecutors) is VERY incestuous.


60 posted on 01/16/2007 12:40:39 PM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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