Duke Lacrosse Case Charges to Be Dropped
April 10, 2007 - The office of North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper will announce that he is dismissing all charges against three Duke Lacrosse players, ABC News has learned from sources close to the case.[:D]
The three players, Reade Seligmann, David Evans and Collin Finnerty, were facing charges of first degree kidnapping and first degree forcible sexual offense. The charges stem from an off-campus party on the night of March 13, 2006.
In the hours after the party, one of two dancers hired to perform for the players claimed she had been violently raped in a bathroom by members of the lacrosse team. The players had also been indicted for first degree rape, but that charge was dismissed on Dec. 22, 2006.
Special prosecutors from the Attorney General's office took over the case after Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong [:o)]recused himself in January, citing charges of unethical conduct filed against him by the North Carolina Bar. Since then, Jim Coman and Mary Winstead have examined the case from scratch, interviewing key witnesses and working through reams of evidence.
The reasons that will be cited for the dismissal are not yet known, though the case has been riddled with criticism and colored by controversy since its early months. Defense attorneys released documents showing the accuser changed key details of her story in the weeks and months after the alleged assault.
Legal analysts and forensic experts have criticized what they call a critically flawed photo identification lineup - a lineup that led to the identification and indictment of Evans, Finnerty, Seligmann. No DNA evidence was found matching any lacrosse players with samples from the rape kit, while DNA from unidentified men was found on the accuser's body and clothing.[:p]
On Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General confirmed to ABC News that his office had completed its investigation into the Duke lacrosse case. A press conference on the outcome of their inquiry is widely expected sometime this week, though members of that office have not yet revealed a date and time.
The three players, Reade Seligmann, David Evans and Collin Finnerty, were facing charges of first degree kidnapping and first degree forcible sexual offense. The charges stem from an off-campus party on the night of March 13, 2006.
In the hours after the party, one of two dancers hired to perform for the players claimed she had been violently raped in a bathroom by members of the lacrosse team. The players had also been indicted for first degree rape, but that charge was dismissed on Dec. 22, 2006.
Special prosecutors from the Attorney General's office took over the case after Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong [:o)]recused himself in January, citing charges of unethical conduct filed against him by the North Carolina Bar. Since then, Jim Coman and Mary Winstead have examined the case from scratch, interviewing key witnesses and working through reams of evidence.
The reasons that will be cited for the dismissal are not yet known, though the case has been riddled with criticism and colored by controversy since its early months. Defense attorneys released documents showing the accuser changed key details of her story in the weeks and months after the alleged assault.
Legal analysts and forensic experts have criticized what they call a critically flawed photo identification lineup - a lineup that led to the identification and indictment of Evans, Finnerty, Seligmann. No DNA evidence was found matching any lacrosse players with samples from the rape kit, while DNA from unidentified men was found on the accuser's body and clothing.[:p]
On Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General confirmed to ABC News that his office had completed its investigation into the Duke lacrosse case. A press conference on the outcome of their inquiry is widely expected sometime this week, though members of that office have not yet revealed a date and time.
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Nifong should be hung from the nearest tree. 0 -
Thank God! Better late than never.
Now, for criminal charges against the fool Nifong.
Followed by massive civil lawsuits.
Nifong sowed the wind, and he will soon reap the whirlwind.0 -
They should do a recall on him, and elect someone else. 0 -
Last night on Courttv they said that the boys' parents had spent between 3 to 5 million on lawyer's fees.
Thank God for rich parents or these boys would be headed for the North Carolina Pen.0 -
Justice will not be served until Mike Nifong is sued of all of his personal assets, disbarred, unemployed and sentenced to prison for his actions. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by dheffley
Justice will not be served until Mike Nifong is sued of all of his personal assets, disbarred, unemployed and sentenced to prison for his actions.
and then raped by a bull moose after being kicked in the balls by all the players whose lives he ruined.0 -
quote:Originally posted by dheffley
Justice will not be served until Mike Nifong is sued of all of his personal assets, disbarred, unemployed and sentenced to prison for his actions.
+1 I see a counter-suit against Nifong happening as soon as the charges are officially dropped.0 -
I agree that he deserves it, but it won't be a slam dunk suit to win. People in his position have a lot of protection against lawsuits for errors, and they should.
Nifong's biggest problem is that he shot his mouth off several times when it really had nothing to do with the conduct of the case, and that's going to stand against him. The problem is that I don't think he owns much to sue for.
My bet is that there is a better chance of pulling in the city, and maybe the university for bailing on the boys and the team so quickly. Duke would likely settle just to be done with it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by dlrjj
I agree that he deserves it, but it won't be a slam dunk suit to win. People in his position have a lot of protection against lawsuits for errors, and they should.
Nifong's biggest problem is that he shot his mouth off several times when it really had nothing to do with the conduct of the case, and that's going to stand against him. The problem is that I don't think he owns much to sue for.
My bet is that there is a better chance of pulling in the city, and maybe the university for bailing on the boys and the team so quickly. Duke would likely settle just to be done with it.
Nifong's immunity will be discharged because of his criminal actions. By law, a criminal act such as obstruction of justice by withholding exculpatory evidence negates any immunity protection given him by his public office. He's toast.0 -
The lies, or at least exclusions, he may have told in court will be a major problem for him if he wants to hold his immunity. The derogatory names he called the boys are not going to help him either, since that had nothing to do with the case and would tend to prejudice opinions, and that's not his job.
I wouldn't want his chances of getting off if a suit is pressed.
He's done as far as his job regardless, and may be in criminal trouble to boot. "Politician Gone Wild"0
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