Meeting Reaction

Commentary from defense attorneys and Jim Coleman in today's N&O and Duke Chronicle seems overwhelmingly positive about the direction of the case.

From Ben Niolet in the N&O:

After the two-hour meeting, defense attorneys said they were pleased with the prosecutors. They described the session as a business meeting -- a far cry from the days when Nifong refused to sit with the lawyers. Defense attorneys in the case had criticized Nifong for refusing to meet with them even when they said they had evidence that the accusations were lies and that at least one of the charged players had an alibi.

"We are excited to have professional prosecutors who are willing to sit down and engage us in conversation," said Joseph B. Cheshire V, one of Evans' attorneys. "We are excited that we are now engaged in a professional process."

Wade Smith, an attorney for Finnerty, said the meeting was mostly about scheduling.

"It's the kind of thing lawyers and prosecutors should do. They should talk," Smith said.

From Rob Copeland in the Chronicle:

Jim Cooney, a defense attorney for indicted player Reade Seligmann, said he was not surprised by the delay. "The two special prosecutors just got six boxes of stuff about a week ago.... I want to give them a chance to read up on the file and to make a good-faith effort to read what they need to read and to interview the witnesses," Cooney said, adding that there is a significant chance the prosecution will decide to drop the charges before May.

Joe Cheshire, an attorney for David Evans, Trinity '06, told the Associated Press he anticipated more meetings between the defense team and the attorney general's staff. "We are very hopeful about this case, and where it stands, and where it will go, and at least we know that it will be dealt with professionally," Cheshire said.

Duke law professor James Coleman, a frequent commentator on the case, cautioned against reading too far into the postponement. "The way I read this story, this is simply an interim deadline and it could be moved up or moved back depending on the progress made," Coleman said.

He added that the delay indicates the new prosecutor is willing to look at the case from all angles. "The lawyers on both sides appear to be interested in what the facts are and whether there is any basis for criminal charges," Coleman said. "If you recall, Nifong refused to look at any of the evidence from the defense and indicted a guy without looking at his alibi."