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"For daring to pursue a Black woman's rape charges against white males Nifong is being driven out of town and the practise of law."

Nope, not quite right. Nifong was not driven out of town for pursuing a black woman's rape charges against white males, he was cited for failing to follow the most basic tenants of criminal procedures which apply to a DA, which requires equal treatment of all information that should come before him, and prerforming duties as required of him as if there were not racial or political inferences involved.

So Peterson wanted to burn down 610 Buchanan, and she gets whisper not to. She also was a committee co-chair for Nifong Citizens, and hates gays.

And this makes her sane, and not a risk to equality in the community because ??? They should have arrested her for trying to incite an arson. Her hatred blinds any rational thought.

* All children need high-quality, well-funded, diverse schools.

* Livable wages and support are needed for low-income people.

* Health care is needed for all.

* Same-day registration and public financing of elections are needed.

* The state should document and redress 200 years of discrimination in hiring and contracting.

* The state should provide affordable housing and stop consumer abuse.

* Young people should be put to work to save the environment and fight for environmental justice.

* Collective bargaining is needed for public employees.

* The state should immediately organize, strengthen and provide funding for our civil rights enforcement agencies and statutes.

"Never give up until all people are treated equally," Barber said. "We will fight and push the agenda until we see change."


So this reform will benefit all people equally, including white people? Just asking the Rev Barber....

My understanding is that if assets are transferred after defendant (Nifong) is aware of any ongoing litigation, in order to make himself judgement-free, and it can be proven transfers were made to avoid same, these assets CAN then be considered in a judgment and collection, minus Mrs. Nifong's half of the assets.

Not sure of NC law, but if federal judgments kick in, (violation of civil rights, etc.., these rules would most likely apply to any civil judgments, or lawsuits applicable to his conduct in this case, as long as someone digs deep enough to determine the date of transfer of assets.

The problem is that Nifong may have put everything in his wife's name long ago to make himself judgment-proof for any lawsuit, not uncommon with attorneys, but risky if there is a divorce.

I wouldn't be surprised if Gottlieb or someone involved in the case had passed along a "confidential tip" (false of course to ESPN) early on, much like the email sent to the players stating that one of the players was going to come forward with the truth. Nothing is beyond Nifong/Gottlieb.

"The players, who agreed to speak with ESPN on the condition their names not be used, also admitted that slurs and bad language were used by some players and the dancers during the argument."

No mention by ESPN, of course, that Kim (Nicki) started the exchange by calling them "Limp D-ck white boys who have to pay for it." And that Kim called the police to report racial slurs, after she had, in fact, initiated the verbal exchange by insulting them, after ripping them off. I still believe that Kim poured gasoline on the fire in the beginning, when she was trying to "spin" her story, even if she did admit months later on 60 minutes that she had initiated the name calling.

Agreed, Judge Smith came in to this case later in the game, and did not immediately do anything with Nifong, but I also believe he is not going to let this fool get away with anything further, and may very well rule out the photo line-up, putting an end to this hoax.

On a different note, I think Judge Smith will see this case to its proper conclusion, regardless of what the Nifong does, says, doesn't say, etc...

Great wanted poster. Should be posted throughout Durham. Apparently Bourlon is NOT getting a haircut. What exactly is that on his head?

Finally caught on on all of the information posted. FR is the best.

I agree with you 100% so things are looking up in this matter. Except for Nifong :) Should have happened long ago, but in this case, I'll settle for now and later.

Jezzebelle -I am way behind on keeping up with all of the posts, so bare with me.

abb, you have done a fantastic job in keeping us well informed.

Thanks Jezzebelle. I knew the bar investigates the case, and thought they could make recommendations for a sanction, but the "offending lawyer" has a right to appeal if they do not accept/agree to the recommended sanction in any case. With a disbarment recommendation, I am not sure any lawyer would not appeal the bar's recommendation, at least that I know of, as they have nothing to lose by appealing. And once they file an appeal, no sanction takes place until the higher courts make a final determination. Thanks for clearing that up.

Will be interesting to see what the NC bar recommends in this case. And they still can file additional complaints, which quite frankly, I believe will happen (withholding evidence/obstruction) so Nifong has many possible repercussions looming over him, including possible civil suits and criminal charges. Now that is justice.

Forgive me if I am wrong, I am not from NC, but I believe the bar, can suspend, or revoke an attorney's license, with cause, if it finds a serious breach in the attorney's conduct.

I think disbarrment rises to a higher level, as the result of conviction on serious criminal charges, but am not 100% sure in NC.

I believe the bar has to "open a file" much like DYFS once they receive a complaint, and then they investigate whether there is any merit to the allegations/complaints before they decide whether to file charges.

The NC bar will probably give him a warning, and remove him from this case. Which is what Nifong wants, to appease people. Big deal.

People need to keep letters of complaint going to people in authority over Nifong to include the state bar, local and state reps, governor, AG, Mayor, FBI, DOJ, Congress, House, etc..so they get the message that Nifong's behavior is inexcusable as a rep of the government.

I find it hard to digest that a person who took such great lengths to misrepresent the "initial" lab findings, which only he has had since April or May 2006, who avoided releasing the full DNA report, presented a letter from Meehan in open Court opposing release of same calling it a "witch hunt," and who lied in open Court to Judge Smith, stating he had released all copies of the lab reports, forgot to release such reports. It is simply not logical, and I doubt that Judge Smith, who sat in the hearings with Nifong, who claimed he had released all DNA Reports, then opposed the release of such with a letter from Meehan, and is then caught in collusion with Meehan about what to release and not to release will be believed. It is simply not credible.

Anyone who can put their own personal/political needs above the sanctity of justice, and cause this much damage in the process - monetary, emotional, mental, and social repercussions to these 3 young men's lives, by refusing to follow state laws and procedures, and ethical obligations while in a position of power deserves to absorb the full monetary cost of this malicious prosecution, as well as any other sanctions available by the state, bar, civil and federal systems.

My best guess is that Mangum will be unable to positively identify the 3 accused with "certainty." After all, she is now unsure if she raped. I think she wants out of this mess, although she did initiate it.

As for repercussions for Nifong - removal from case, bar sanctions, disbarred, criminal or civil suits, I think this case is like no other Nifong or Durham has ever handled, and he bit off far more than he could chew. Not only is he dealing with some of the best attorneys, but this case has received much national attention, and I don't think the accused lawyers' are just going to let this die out, even if the remaining charges are dismissed. Plus, he has lied in open Court, misrepresented allegations, not followed proper criminal procedures, withheld evidence, and obstructed justice. This does not include his job as a prosecutor to pursue the truth and make decisions that served in the interest of justice. Even now, he is saying, it is all up to the accuser.

No, I don't think this situation is going to go away quietly, even if the charges are dismissed.

Although Nifong has brought all of this on himself, I don't doubt for one minute that higher powers will silently offer him up, to get the spotlight off Durham. And I hope I am not wrong on this, although this is entirely possible.

Just my opinion, but it seems in the latter part of the transcript, that Judge Smith has lost patience with Nifong's assertions, cutting him off a couple of times.

Hopefully, Judge Smith has gotten a full sense of Nifong's "claims" and is not going to entertain anything Nifong says, based on his verbal claims only.

As noted in a prior post, you never want to alienate a Judge by lying to him/her, as after that your credibility in everything you present becomes suspect.

“Nifong answered haltingly: "His report encompasses ever -- because we didn't -- they apparently think that everybody I speak to about, I talk about the facts of the case. And that's just, that would be counterproductive. It did not happen here."

How can you tell when Nifong is lying? His lips are moving.

“ON OCT. 27, SMITH SIGNED AN ORDER THAT STATED: "Mr. Nifong indicated that he did not discuss the facts of the case with Dr. Meehan and that Dr. Meehan said nothing during those meetings beyond what was encompassed in the final report of DNA Security, dated May 12, 2006. The Court accepted Mr. Nifong's representation about those meetings and held that there were no additional discoverable statements by Dr. Meehan for the state to produce."

Lying to the Judge in a nationally scrutinized case is not going to go over well with Judge Smith. I would love to have seen Smith’s face when Meehan testified. Now that would have been “precious.”

“That is a childlike complaint," said Antoun, who practices in Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. "The DA did hand it over; it just wasn't written in moron talk."

The cast of characters continues to grow. This is the first time I have ever laughed about this case. All this case needed was an Antoun. Although I am no fan of Meehan, you have to look at the choices he made (going along with Nifonger and hiring Antoun) and wonder how stupid and greedy he really is. Smart enough to get a lawyer, but Antoun. Unbelievable.

"If she came in and said she could not identify her assailants, then we don't have a case," Nifong told the newspaper. "If she says, yes, it's them, or one or two of them, I have an obligation to put that to a jury."

No, you have an ethical obligation to pursue the truth, which is apparently foreign to you.

“Mangum was a coward because she couldn't face the repercussions of her behavior that night which would have meant a violation of her probation and possibly losing her kids. So she took the coward's way out and said somebody had done something to her that explained the condition she was in and deflected the focus from her conduct to the alleged conduct of someone else. That was an evil act.”

I agree with you Jezzebelle. Everyone knows you can not trust a drug addict to think beyond the moment. While trying to escape being committed, and all of the collateral things that come with it, she selfishly started the wheel in motion to this unbelievable case. Of course, she could not have kept this hoax going without the assistance of “others” but this whole case emanated from her choice to make up this story. She could have refused to identify any players a third time, but I think we can all guess what happened at that point in time.

"It's not going in our favor at this point," said Durham County commissioner Michael Page, adding that he felt Nifong would continue only if he had evidence of something occurring that deserved punishment. The question is what and who did it."

I agree, put Nifong, Magnum, Gottlieb, and Hinman on the witness stand for an intense grilling by defense counsel, and outraged citizens, so we can get to the bottom of this hoax.

"This is not a sound-bite case," Barber said. "We do not want a rush to judgment or a delay of justice."

Okay Barber, well then you better inform Nifong of this.

“Nifong hasn't returned requests for comment. He told The New York Times on Thursday that the accuser is determined to continue. He said he will prosecute the players unless "she tells me these are not the right guys."

Would love to see the written report from the interview on 12/21 with Nifong’s investigator, and what her exact words were, since she can not say for sure if she was penetrated by three different males penises. Not to be crude, but surely Precious knows what a penis looks and feels like. This is her specialty. My guess is that she will not identify the players, and maybe not even show up for the hearing. Unless Nifong threatens to take her third child away. I am sure the written report of the 12/21 interview has already been sent to defense counsel, with Gottlieb’s assistance. (sarcasm)

Sorry so long but I am just glad that part of this hoax has finally been exposed for what it is, and to those who are NOW saying there is no need to rush to judgment, try back pedaling 8 months ago, and tell it to Nifong.

Precious' credibility is zero. If you can't remember being raped vaginally, orally, anally on one particular night, after making accusations to multiple parties that night regarding the same, you probably can't be counted on to reliably reiterate any other details, at this much later date.

Again, Precious will not testify in Court to the kidnapping and sexual assault. She initially claimed a rape occurred with penal penetration. Now that that is caput, she will begin her wondrous backpedal. What exactly did the detective investigator ask her on Thursday? If not asked, can not be answered. These people will never learn.