Sunday, November 17, 2013

Updates from Durham

[Update: Mangum was found guilty of 2nd-degree murder, and sentenced to a minimum of 170 months (14.2 years) in prison.

The Chronicle reports that Mangum's attorney asserted that his client's disastrous decision to testify in her own defense (see below) came against his advice.

The paper has no comment from any member of the Group of 88, nor have I seen any comments elsewhere on the web from any Group members. Presumably few if any of the Group continue to find Mangum credible, but it's worth reiterating that all except Arlie Petters have not in any way distanced themselves from their 2006 statement.]

Mangum has taken the stand in her own defense, and WRAL has the video. Cross-examination starts at the 46.30 mark.

Mangum's basic argument: she's telling the truth; and various police officers, neighbors, friends were all lying; and videos and photos that don't corroborate her version of events are for inexplicable reasons all inaccurate.

Recall: this is the person to which, in different ways, Mike Nifong and the Group of 88 attached their public reputations. Recall: this is the person whose allegations the Group of 88 deemed credible, to the extent they were willing to publicly affirm that something "happened" to her, based solely on her version of events, as presented by police and Samiha Khanna.

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The oft-delayed murder trial of Crystal Mangum is underway in Durham. (WRAL has been live-streaming the proceedings.) Testimony in the first two days has featured evidence of Mangum trying to mislead police about her name—Marcella Mangum was the preferred choice—and (as she did in the lacrosse case after police were called to Kim Roberts’ car) her going limp when handcuffed by police.

A ruling by the judge presiding over the case that prosecutors could introduce evidence of Mangum’s previous arrest—in which she allegedly tried to get a knife to stab her then-boyfriend, Milton Walker—makes a conviction likely. But, then again, this is Durham.

As expected, the Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal filed by Bob Ekstrand on behalf of his three clients. This decision was all but certain once the Court declined to hear the appeal from the falsely accused players.

Limited claims against ex-officers Gottlieb and Himan (from the falsely accused players) and against Duke (from the three former players represented by Ekstrand) are the only remaining matters of civil litigation arising from members of the 2006 team.

There is, however, one potential civil suit that could expose items related to the case. The Herald-Sun has reported that Ekstrand, who’s representing former DPD Sgt. John Shelton (who’s now working for the Durham Co. sheriff’s office), has threatened a suit against Durham for its mistreatment of Shelton.

Ekstrand alleges that the DPD retaliated against Shelton because Shelton—apparently alone among Durham police officers—from the start doubted the veracity of Mangum’s tall tales in the lacrosse case. In another department, Shelton’s prescience would be grounds for praise. But, then again, this is Durham.

14 comments:

skwilli said...

But, then again, this is Durham.

I thought it should be said at least one more time...

Anonymous said...

The attitude you speak of where people receive negative inputs from jobs as justice officials because of their beliefs about the actions of others in Durham is rampant, and not only in the justice system.

This atmosphere is created by duke with its attitudes and practices of silencing and getting rid of any and all who hold opinions contrary to the overriding brainwashed false control in the area of maintaining a facade of duke greatness. If you don't play along and support the greatness of duke, your benched. In durham, if you don't despise duke or if you don't think their great - your actually better off - but that type bench sitting is NOT allowed, so they push and push until you fall of the bench and then they blame you for falling. Your just lucky if you don't get hurt and then rushed to duke ER. That's the game.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

To: 11:48AM
Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly...

Big Al

Anonymous said...

Are the media going to ask Nifong for a comment on the Mangum trial? How about Cline? Judge Stephens? Rev.William Barber? Irv Joyner? Richard Brodhead?
If not, why not?



Anonymous said...


Amazing how shallow the coverage of the Mangum trial is. A lot of questions have been raised -to include Mangum's relationships with DPD officers (and her claim that some officers suffered career -wise on account of her. Who were these? I really doubt she's referring to Sgt. Shelton here).

Aren't there any investigative journalists anymore? (Apparently none are in Durham...)

Anonymous said...

The AG on Mangum's credibility (sound familiar?) :

"In meetings with the special prosecutors, the accusing witness, when recounting the events of that night, changed her story on so many important issues as to give the impression that she was improvising as the interviews progressed, even when she was faced with irrefutable evidence that what she was saying was not credible. The accusing witness attempted to avoid the contradictions by changing her story, contradicting previous stories or alleging the evidence had been fabricated.

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She stated that they danced in a bedroom not the living room. When confronted with credible photographic evidence to the contrary, she claimed Duke paid someone to alter the photos. She routinely denied she made various earlier statements that were attributed to her by law enforcement officials. She denied that she had made statements attributed to her in medical reports both the night of the alleged attack and in the ensuing days.

Anonymous said...

" Anonymous Anonymous said...

The attitude you speak of where people receive negative inputs from jobs as justice officials because of their beliefs about the actions of others in Durham is rampant, and not only in the justice system.

This atmosphere is created by duke with its attitudes and practices of silencing and getting rid of any and all who hold opinions contrary to the overriding brainwashed false control in the area of maintaining a facade of duke greatness. If you don't play along and support the greatness of duke, your benched. In durham, if you don't despise duke or if you don't think their great - your actually better off - but that type bench sitting is NOT allowed, so they push and push until you fall of the bench and then they blame you for falling. Your just lucky if you don't get hurt and then rushed to duke ER. That's the game.

11/19/13, 12:40 AM"

WOW! The fabricator from J4N has popped up on DIW.

Anonymous said...

Sympathy and grace to the Daye family. RIP, Reginald Daye.
Mangum…….enjoy life with the Butches…they will love you

Anonymous said...

Is Mangum a communist?

Anonymous said...

KC, I've always wondered what contemporaneous comments Coach K had about the lacrosse case, since he is really the face of Duke U. I don't ever recall reading comments where he came out against the rush to judgment, Dick Brodhead or the group of 88. If he didn't, my opinion of him drops.
Fred

jim2 said...

KC -

You get a nice good plug:

http://pjmedia.com/rogerkimball/2013/11/24/aftermath-of-the-duke-lacrosse-rape-case/?singlepage=true

Anonymous said...

Sure.

Forget it, Jake, This is Durham.

But the state of North Carolina did intervene and provide adult supervision. But not enough. AG Roy Cooper stopped short of indicating or even implying that Crystal Mangum should be prosecuted. One might surmise, as many did at the time, he showed mercy. But now, this person, effectively freed by him, committed murder.

Roy Cooper, what say you?

Anonymous said...

Ms. Mangum did not commit murder even if her sham trial did find her quilty of the brain death and ultimate death that Duke committed on Mr. Daye instead of providing emergency medical services free of death inducing procedures.