...and it is about time they did so. I have not spoken out on this before, although tempted to do so here many times.
Then this CNN headline caught my eye today: Charge could kick Duke prosecutor off case, and can be found at CNN.com @ http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/12/29/duke.lawyer.ap/index.html
The manner in which this guy has handled the prosecution of the four Duke University students for rape charges is, in my estimation, both reprehensible and quite possibly criminal.
That all of the charges were not dropped outright after the long withheld/hidden DNA evidence surfaced showing absolutely no sign of DNA from any of the 4 Lacrosse Team Members, but did show samples from at least a few other men, when the alleged victim said she had not had sex with anyone except her boyfriend in over a week (as I recall) was bad enough. When she then suddenly changed her story to say that she was now not sure that any of them had actually penetrated her vaginally, that should have made the whole thing as clear as Crystal to any prosecutor who was actually doing his job, especially since she had apparently insisted all along that they had vaginally penetrated her, that is up until the time absolutely none of their DNA was found inside her or on her - but the DNA from others was found. Well it should have made it clear as crystal, but it did not do so for Nifong. That he decided to drop rape charges and then charge the lacrosse players with sexual assault and kidnapping (as I recal) was unbelievable at best, and possibly criminal at worst, and just muddied the waters even more than before.
If I had ever worked with a prosecutor, in my law enforcement career, who did something along these lines, I may have arrested him myself; and if not, well I certainly would have reported him for what I would have believed to have been ethics violations. I think this guy saw his name in the headlines as the new prosecutorial star, saw his face on the TV news in the same light, saw himself as winning the next election - all because he saw those 4 young men were convicted prematurely in his mind by way of his own prejudice. His job is to see justice done, not to railroad anyone. As far as I am concerned, Nifong is a sham, not worth one penny that they pay him, and I think his election results should be negated, and he should be recalled and barred, and placed in jail if found guilty of prosecutorial misconduct. Throwing him off the case is only a start, and certainly does not appear to be enough. The state of NC will probably wind up paying big time settlements to the 4 lacrosse players, I believe, some of it should come out of Nifong's own pockets, and the alleged victim's too.y Yah that is right, I don't believe either one of them to be at all credible in this case, and think both should pay for it if proven to have concocted (individually or by way of conspiracy) the charges against the 4 young men.
All the best,
Glenn B
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