Saturday, February 03, 2007

Easley: Nifong My Worst Appointment

In today's N&O, Joe Neff and Ben Niolet bring details of a speech that Governor Mike Easley gave last month at NYU Law School.

Easley confirmed widely circulated rumors that Nifong had promised not to run for a full term when the governor made the original appointment.

"I almost un-appointed him when he decided to run," Easley told law school students. "I rate that as probably the poorest appointment that I've . . ."

In the speech, Easley said that Jim Hardin and Ron Stephens, Durham's two previous D.A.'s, recommended Nifong. Why, then, would Nifong have gone back on his word not to run?

The likely reason: Freda Black. It seems unlikely that Nifong shared with the governor his plans to immediately fire Black from her position. But he did so, and she responded by making plans to run for a full term herself. The result: if Nifong didn't run, too, he certainly would have been fired himself once Black became D.A.

In response to a question, Easley also said Nifong had handled the case poorly--but, added the governor, "you don't need me to tell you that."

The governor also severely criticized Nifong along the lines laid out by the state bar, focusing on the D.A.'s improper public statements and his decision to enter into an agreement with Dr. Brian Meehan to intentionally withhold exculpatory DNA evidence. He also said that Nifong's actions had harmed the image of North Carolina justice nationally.

An aside: doesn't it seem odd that, in making an important critique about the highest-profile case in years in his state, the governor delivers his remarks in New York?

266 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   201 – 266 of 266
Anonymous said...

We don't need a change in the law.

All we need and needed from the beginning was for the law to be enforced and for policies and guidelines already in force to be followed.

Had that been done there would have been no charges laid against the boys because all objective evidence refutes the complainants stories, in fact, her OWN STORIES refute each other. This is NOT NOT NOT a he said/she said case. All of the evidence that exists, physical evidence, independent witnesses, everything points to a fabricated story.

It would then have been up to the discretion of the police and DA whether or not to prosecute her for filing a false report, depending on her mental and substance abuse history and so forth or perhaps to charge her in order to get her into counseling.

Anonymous said...

Birth control medication was developed by Catholic Doctors for Catholic women because it is a natural hormone. The Church in it's wisdom, of course, forbade its use.

Anonymous said...

Wendy Murphy repeated the 2 million dollar yarn recently in the Wilmington Journal.
There is still a group of people who support the hoax.
People seem to think the case is over. I will believe it's over when there's an acquittal or the charges are dropped.

Anonymous said...

Wendy Murphy has crossed the line and has lost her credibility on this case. She has repeatedly cited information that has been debunked as well as wrong facts and invented facts.

Don't worry, the case will be dismissed. If Easley's public comments about Nifong wasn't a blazing green light to drop the case and prosecute him, then I'm not a liberal Democrat:)

Anonymous said...

Hey guys I just heard that Dick Cheney ate FIVE babies for dinner tonight!!!

Anonymous said...

Come on, Gov. Easley is lying. We should expect more from our leaders, regardless of there political party. I find it extemely difficult to swallow that he appointed Mr. Nifong with the intention that he not run. This is his way out of a politically bad situation. The fact that politics is even part of this is sickening, there are 3 young men, who are clearly innocent, and the powers that be are holding this over their heads because they are afraid of losing votes, and are trying to delay the inevitable (at great cost to the falsely accused) to limit their political losses. It is absolutely WRONG !!
I don't care what color, religion, gender or socioeconomic backround you come from, every individual should be treated fairly in the legal system PERIOD. Unfortunately, we have power hungry people in this country who are willing to do anything to keep or obtain that power. Hence, it is imperative, that we create laws to keep that from happening. First, DA's cannot have absolute immunity, if they "Nifong" someone willingly, they need to be held accountable PERIOD. Secondly, police departments must be held to higher ethical standards, all over the country, their abuse of power is disheartening. Look at the San Francisco case of the Yale singing group. Innocent people are being convicted, and guilty people are being let go. It has to stop. How NC does not keep transcripts of Grand Jury proceedings is beyond me, that alone opens up tremendous abuse potential. Speedy trial in NC, hmmm ??
The federal Government unfortunatley is going to have to provide oversight. We cannot get politics out of local criminal justice, it is too difficult. Durham is a prime example. There are a slew of elected officials who have political aspirations and political titles who are far to afraid of losing that position becasue of the powerful democratic vote base (i.e the black vote in this case). The Feds do not face the same political pressures in small local milleu's, hence, if injustice is being done, the local jurisdiction must have liability, it is one of the only ways to keep them honest. The message being, do the right thing or pay !! In all fairness, a NC congressman did ask for a federal investigation, why this has not happened I have no idea, the notion that the case has to run it's course to see if justice is served before they get involved is the problem, justice already has been denied, and though we all know what the end will be, the end does not justify the means by which we arrived there. This case should have one, never been brought, but at least two, dropped a long time ago.

It's not Democrat or Republican, it's about right and wrong (I agree with Deborah, it's all ethics, and they are sadly missing).

BDay MD

Anonymous said...

Polanski,
could you please put your name on the top of your posts so i can more easily skip over them?
A liberal Dem from Durham Sunday Feb 4 Walker

Michael said...

re: 4:49

This is a case of a prosecution run amok. Mike Nifong, another prosecutor apparently familiar with the "win at any cost" mantra, most surely would approve. The government set out to "get" Humberto Cuellar for something, and why not? He is apparently a "bad dude," an accessory to what likely was a serious drug-running operation; moreover, this is, after all, the "war on drugs." But instead of charging under a statute of which Cuellar (by his attorney's admission) is guilty, the government used the wrong law, and the majority now has blessed the government's missteps with a holding that makes "money laundering" out of virtually any transfer of illicit proceeds across an international border.

That was the dissenting opinion. The defendent lost in this case. So he was Nifonged and lost and that's okay because he was a bad dude.

Anonymous said...

--6:06pm--I have to agree with a whole lot of what you wrote.
Everyone wants to say that Nifong manipulated Crystal Gail Mangum. He would have had nothing to manipulate if not for her hoax.
It's true that she and her ilk have used the system so many times, she figured what the heck?
I'll tell whitey another tale to save my semen-rotten tail.

Anonymous said...

She could not have manipulated the system if not for Nifong.

Her tale is too blatantly false. People do and say all kinds of things to stay out of jail. Generally, the police sort things out just fine. As they would have in this case if Mike Nifong had not taken charge.

I can call the police and say the Martians have landed, but unless my house is actually full of what appear to be space aliens, the police would do well to refrain from calling the army and the national guard.

There is nothing in this case that warranted pressing charges.

Anonymous said...

To 6:06 PM who wrote:

KC Johnson doesn't give a shit about advocating for a change in the law.

http://durhamwonderland.blogspot.com/2007/01/agenda-for-general-assembly.html

An Agenda for the General Assembly

The North Carolina General Assembly opens its 2007 session later this week. I would like to think that legislators would learn from the misconduct of Mike Nifong, and consider reforms to address some of the problems in the state’s legal system that the lacrosse case has brought to light.

To that end, here are seven proposals for reform in the 2007 session.

-snip-

Anonymous said...

Michael (6:43), I think that's only the introduction to what is a 30-page dissent. But it seems to be the only reference to Nifong.

M. Simon said...

Bill 10:41AM,

Not all the playahs are liberal Democrats. Some are Socialists, some are Communists, some are Gramascian Marxists.

Some are mixed up with pomo and similar confusions.

M. Simon said...

Bill 10:41AM,

If we want our rights back we are going to have to end drug prohibition.

Michael said...

re: 7:07

I reposted the link as the OP on the topic posted a truncated link. It is only of interest in that Nifong's name was used in an unrelated case.

I expect to see more such references in the future.

I'd guess that Mike Nifong avoids Google these days.

Anonymous said...

"That's how all this mess got started," Easley said. "He challenged the defense lawyers by talking about the case, calling the kids 'hooligans.' "

The above is a quote from the N&O article. I believe (correct me if I am wrong) that the hooligan comment came long before the defense said anything about the case. It has a Wendy Murphy ring to it !!!

BDay

M. Simon said...

11:46 AM,

I resent these people making me a de facto republican.

Yeah I know how it feels. My epiphany came around '80. Five years after the fall of Saigon. The fookin humanitarian Dems said nothing about the re-ed camps. The boat people. Cambodia.

The dems are supposed to be the libertines and civil liberrties folks. So tell me why they support drug prohibition?

Neither party cares much for principle and they are all crooks. But I'd have to say my experience with the Dems is worse.

Libertarians? Gotta love 'em. Their hearts and heads are in the right place, but they are utopians. (I was a Libertarian from about '87 to 9/11/01).

I'm philosophically allied with the Libs and practically allied with the Rs.

Anonymous said...

N&O:
'The governor talked about the state's open file discovery law, which the lacrosse defense attorneys have used to pry favorable evidence, such as the DNA test results, from Nifong's files.

"I do know that when you're in a case like this you disclose everything," Easley said. "We passed a law when I was attorney general that you disclose all the evidence in the file in these cases prior to trial."

The law was passed in 2004, when Easley was governor. As attorney general, Easley opposed a 1996 law opening files for death row inmates, the first step toward the current law. His office fought the law at the legislature and then challenged it in court, until the state Supreme Court upheld the law in 1998.'


He coulda been Nifong, also a big champion of disclosing everything.

Is Brady material consisting of exculpatory or impeaching information that is material to the guilt or punishment of the defendant still wihtholdable by the prosecution in NC today?

Anonymous said...

Polanski,

Could you please put your name on the top of your posts so I can more easily find them?

What you say makes sense.

Thanks!

M. Simon said...

12:54AM,

Uh, the very trouble about this case is that it was politics all the way.

Why not call out the political factions behind it?

I notice it is mainly those on the left who would prefer to focus on guilt/innocence and leave politics out. I suppose it is a natural tendency (which some on the left seem to be able to resist) due to the fact that those causing the political trouble were universally Democrats or further left.

Why give you enemy a club?

I've noticed that the plantations are gone in the South. The attitudes are not.

M. Simon said...

12:55PM,

And to touch on one last point, the correct nomenclature of Klan hierarchy is "Senior Senator from West Virginia, D".

The correct nomenclature of Klan hierarchy is "Woodrow Wilson - D, the twenty-eighth President of the United States"

M. Simon said...

1:03PM,

Surely you can't believe all Democrats believe in fasely accusing innocent people for political gain?

Nope. I don't believe that. Not all Democrats would do that.

I do believe they would let it go on for gain.

This board had a more "right" flavor in the early days (up til Nifong's recusal) - exceptin' for trolls. The balance is shifting which is good. However, some of us have noticed a lot of Democrats were late to the party.

M. Simon said...

1:22 PM,

You also failed to note that criminals tend to have lower IQs than average.

M. Simon said...

1:26 PM,

I see your agenda and raise you an obseervation.

M. Simon said...

1:39 PM,

Not becuase he is an unprincipled, incompetant, unprofessional sleaze bag that couldn't have gotten elected on the merits of his record. Nope. It is BECAUSE HE IS A DEMOCRAT.

He is an unprincipled, incompetant, unprofessional sleaze bag DEMOCRAT that couldn't have gotten elected on the merits of his record.

And he seems to have had an awful lot of enablers on the left, not to mwntion his DEMOCRAT friends.

I will admit the Rs are only marginally better.

It is why I like having two parties. Every once in a while you get to throw the bums out and get a different set of bums.

Anonymous said...

I am still interested in the unanswered question of why if Easley didn't expect him to run for DA, did he appoint him and why did he not appoint Freda Black.

There must be someone who posts here from Durham that has some insight into the local politics, that is if they can find the few posts about Easley's comments in between all the Democrat and Republican politcal claptrap that is on this thread.

M. Simon said...

1:46 PM,

Don't you read this blog? IQ does not exist... and if you think it does, you must have a low one.

You obviously have not taken the IQ test.

==========

I invented this little IQ test for the person who believes they are not valid. See if you can pass.

You are a passenger on a 747-400 and you have a choice of pilots, each has similar visio-spacial co-ordination and motor skills, one has an IQ of 70 the other has an IQ of 130.

Who you gonna call?

To say IQ has no validity is BS. It is a belief that not even your own experience will support.

If you choose the IQ 70 guy all that will prove is that there are at least two morons on the plane.

M. Simon said...

2:17PM,

Bork never believed that the IXth Amendment had any use.

Talk about legislating from the bench.

I like Thomas - his opinions on Kelo and Raich were brilliant. BTW Thomas belives that the people's rights can not be enumerated they are so vast. According to our original charter 4 July 1776, rights predate the state. They are inherent in our nature.

Bork wants it all written down.

Even if Teddy K. was against him Bork was still bad.

M. Simon said...

2:53Pm,

Americans shooting up mosques will be broadcast around the Arab world

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Perhaps that would convince them shooting from Mosques is unwise.

I say let them play by our rules, if they can stay in the game.

Anonymous said...

8:51

Perhaps, but there is also the independent idea of the historical and artistic significance of the mosques independent of who is inside them.

It might teach the adversary that hiding in religious structures won't help save their lives. The same could be said for hiding among civilian populations. It might teach them that we would kill all the civilians to get at them. But, these particular adversaries already appear to be fairly willing to die for their cause. In the shorter terrm though, Americans firing on and destroying, defacing mosques or not bothering to try not to kill civilians would more than likely create another generation of potential suicide bombers who hate America. The stratigic question would be, is it better to win the battle by firing on the mosque but lose the larger war. In my humble libertarian view, that is why formal standing armies do well to avoid wars with guerillas living among civilian populations who if they do not support them outright, are not willing or able to defy them.

Anonymous said...

simon say's m simon STF up!

M. Simon said...

9:00 PM,

simon say's m simon STF up!

I am unable to oblige at this time.

Perhaps you would be happier on another thread.

Anonymous said...


Not becuase he is an unprincipled, incompetant, unprofessional sleaze bag that couldn't have gotten elected on the merits of his record. Nope. It is BECAUSE HE IS A DEMOCRAT.


Hmmm, I think that to be a successful politician you have to be pretty unprincipled.

Moreover, there is evidence that there is a significant heritability component to one's ideology.

Anonymous said...


Hey guys I just heard that Dick Cheney ate FIVE babies for dinner tonight!!!


Actually, I heard that he only drank their blood. Some sort of ceremony.

M. Simon said...

But, these particular adversaries already appear to be fairly willing to die for their cause.

I think Americans have a reputation for being helpful in the world. If that is what they want we should provide all the help we can.

I note we helped the Japanese in a similar way during WW2. It seems to have cured them of the impulse.

M. Simon said...

8:57 PM,

Guerillas mostly lose.

Take Vietnam. The guerillas were a spent force after Tet. It was the NVA that won the war. When Democrats decided that supporting our allies was a bad idea.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately there are few parallels between war with imperial Japan and fighting small semi independent groups of men not wearing uniforms and not answering to any national leader.

I also take note that The Louvre, Stonehenge, Notre Dame, the Colloseum, Florence and Paris were all left standing after WWII. It seems you can win a war without destroying the cultural heritage sites adjacent to the battlefield.

M. Simon said...

The small percentage of people who still approve of Bush's performance should probably be stripped of their right to vote.

How Stalinist of you. However, you do not go far enough. Why not rounded up and shot?

Once you get the trains running to the camps "those people" cease to be a problem.

Anonymous said...

We all learn different lessons from history. I learned from Vietnam that sending young soldiers into a foreign country with no knowledge of their language or culture, no clear mission objectives to fight for an 'allie' whose goverment was not widely supporting and whose troops fought less hard for their country than our own troops did was a mistake. I learned that a formal army fighting a guerilla force in enemy territory when they cannot easily tell friend from foe has a hard time winning, the enemy fades into the jungle or the town and regroups to fight tomorrow. Often 'friends' are killed by mistake, further clouding the issue and demoralizing the young troops. I learned that war is a last resort, never undertaken foolishly or without absolute need.

You learned it was the Democrats fault. Go figure.

M. Simon said...

3:18 PM,

I have been fighting injustice since my FIDO Net days.

Death will take me before I quit.

I am not moving on.

Anonymous said...

Glad he made those remarks as illogical as they seem. Unless he has some type of governmental immunity, sounds like Gov. Eeasley will be giving a deposition in the civil lawsuit against the state ?

Michael said...

re: 1:03

[This board had a more "right" flavor in the early days (up til Nifong's recusal) - exceptin' for trolls. The balance is shifting which is good. However, some of us have noticed a lot of Democrats were late to the party.]

You also had some of the talk show hosts and bloggers that have latched on. I see very few left-wing hosts and bloggers that have latched on and some that still think that something bad must have happened.

Of course I'd be happy to be proven wrong by Mr. Edwards.

M. Simon said...

Haywood Patterson 3:45 PM,

Fellow Bears Fan

Go Bears

M. Simon said...

4:33 PM

Sorry, dude, you lost me to my ideology there. I can't get behind the 'slaughter of the unborn' ideology.

According to Jewish law the unborn are not human until 40 days after conception.

So the whole concept is theological until viability.

M. Simon said...

C4 5:13 PM ,

Here we have Free Republic meets DU.

How often does that happen?

Anonymous said...

Charles Murray on IQ etc, from recently

Damn good stuff.

M. Simon said...

C4,

Jakki isn't Jakki, but Clyde Lee Yancey

I looked at the Jakki video and suspected that. Then I looked again and said 'nah.

Notice the way Jakki is mocking dim witted black folks? I wonder what he thinks about CGM?

M. Simon said...

6:01 PM,

I've noticed that the comments on this blog tail off during cocktail hour - around 5 pm.....

It gets lonely late at night too.

M. Simon said...

Micahael 7:19PM,

<a href=""></a>

Is how you make permalinks:

<a href="url">text to display</a>

M. Simon said...

9:17 PM,

And they didn't bomb churches during WW2?

Look what happened to the Monastery at Cassino. That place was pulverized.

See, we thought the Germans were using it.

Gary Packwood said...

Thanks KC,

Re: Your previous post about the Mothers Walk Tomorrow.

What a great thing to do for everyone.

I hope folks remember to say Thanks.

M. Simon said...

9:22 PM,

You learned it was the Democrats fault. Go figure.

Well I supported the Democrat move at the time so it is my fault too.

Then I started reading and learning. General Giap says he thought the war was lost at Tet until newspapers and radio and TV started filtering back to him. After he got the news he knew all he had to do was hang on and the American press would hand him victory.

That is the top General from the other side talking.

By '74 Vietnam was stabilized and American troops were coming home. The South was keeping the guerilla remnants in check.

We lost the war because Democrats like me (then) wouldn't support an ally. Shameful. And it is my shame too.

AMac said...

Apropros of the many "anonymouses" stating off-topic positions to counter the arguments made by other "anonymouses." All to enlighten or bewilder those actually interested in the Duke Lacrosse Rape Hoax.

Writing on an unrelated subject and at a different blog, Jerry wrote

Me ole granpa used to say "there just ain't no point arguin' with an idiot, boy. After a while, anyone who's watchin ain't gonna be able to tell who's who.

FWIW.

Anonymous said...


PLease - just shut up and go to the Dykes & Ammo Website.


I searched and can't find it. Can you help me?

Anonymous said...

OK children, gather round Auntie MTU'76 and I will tell you a story. Please put away your other toys, I mean the donkeys and elephants and get your blankies, or stuffed Snoopys, or what ever you want to hug because this is going to be a scary story. Cedarford said we could gather in his living room so lets all sit on the floor together. Debbie, I want you to sit right next to me, Roman I want you to sit on my other side. Good. The story is about rape, OK, Debbie, Roman, quiet down, and let Auntie talk. Thank you. Yes Roman, we are going to go to the hoop in this story. Thank you. When Auntie was about 24 years old she was a nurse - yes Debbie, like the Skunk white racetrack woman of Arkansas - Billie's mother. Anyway, Auntie was about 24 years old and decided to go overseas, that's what we can say so as not to actually say the name of where we were. Anyway, Auntie worked day and night at a hospital that was the best one in town and the oppressors and the oppressed both came there for medical attention. No Simon, I don't know if there was an abortion clinic there or not. Anyway, one day I noticed that the oppressed ones and the tourists were the only ones ever taken to the OR to donate their organs. Yes Roman, we are almost at the hoop part. I was distressed. It looked like some of the surgeons, some of the student surgeons, people who are learning to cut other people open to help them, were only helping the oppressed. On my day off I decided to go to a fabulous place with 5-stars, no, Debbie, not movie stars, and lounge at the swimming pool all day. This was a luxury the management extended to young nurses, like I was in those days. Trinity 60 knows what I mean. The sun was lovely and warm and my olive skin, no Anon, this isn't really about race, but I was really brown and nubile - a word not in favor these days. Anyway, my mind went around and around that afternoon about the oppressed who seemed to be the only organ donors and the ones being helped by the student surgeons. Yes Roman, this is supposed to be scary. The burden of all those thoughts and what I had seen - yes Roman, I have seen people die, and the dying, and those who wished they would die, now hug your - what is that a script? OK hug it. Good. So, Auntie decided a few stiff drinks at the bar, no Cedar, I mean an actual bar there adjacent to the pool, would be a good idea. Well children, Auntie stayed at that bar drinking until the last bus had come and gone. No Debbie, Auntie didn't have a car. Well, a very nice man who was involved with security for visiting US presidents there offered Auntie a ride home. We got halfway to the hospital where Auntie lived, and the nice man stopped the car in a very nice area with statues and gardens. We had all that beauty to ourselves. I'll never forget it. He showed me his gun and told me I didn't have to worry if I did what he said. Well, Auntie knew that there was no point in worrying because what ever the nice man with the gun said would be fine. He said we were going to go to the hoop and we did! As fate would have it, and you all know, Auntie didn't die. Auntie was a little mentally ill until she left that country, but she got over it. OK, Debbie, you want to know why didn't I call the police? Oh, sorry dear, the nice man was the police. OK children, group hug. And the moral of the story is ...... If guns are illegal then only criminals will have guns! Excellent Roman! Don't ever let anybody call you nubile? No Debbie, I'm sorry, that isn't the moral of the story. If you go to the hoop with the police you will always get screwed? Right you are Roman! Auntie thinks the real moral of the story is that every woman who cries rape may not have gone to the hoop. And, false charges of going to the hoop are easy, especially today, especially in the Triangle.
MTU'76

Anonymous said...

go to liestoppers
for the dirt on freda
and mikey--
KC doesn't have
a clue- too busy
with potbangers...

Anonymous said...

Polanski said...

6:41, 7:44 will do; thanks, 6:48

7:04: KC Johnson's recommendation to the Legislature related to sanctions for Nifong, not the Preciouses of the world.

6:11 argues that "we don't need a 'change' of the law"--[emphasis added] There is no law in the US that addresses the psychological and emotional damage a false accusation has on a man. The law does not recognize it as a crime per se. The law treats a false accusation as a minor thing (like KC Johnson). So you're accused of filing a false police report. So what? The feminists are in large part responsible for the fact that Precious's vicious actions won't be punished. And remember, Precious is lying now just as she lied the night of her hospitalization. She makes Nifong look like a chorus girl in comparison.

I suggest everyone read the first 20 pages of Franz Kafka's "The Trial." It might give you a glimpse of what it must have been like to be perp walked in front of the world, because society, out of homage to political correctness, was forced to take the word of a lying criminal over 3 innocent men.

Anonymous said...

POLANSKI SAID



MTU76,

I'm sorry you were raped, sorrier still that bastard wasn't punished.

What did you write that refuted what I wrote? I feel like Tolstoy trying to defend Joyce's "Ulysses."

Sorry, dear, I don't follow you.

Are you arguing that criminalizing false accusers is tantamount to protecting rapists?

Wouldn't you agree that Crystal Gail Mangum's filthy mouth raped Collin, David, and Reade?

Gary Packwood said...

Auntie MTU '76

Thank You for that helpful story and a good lesson for everyone.

You did not choose to be bitter and hateful to police officers...or as Lord Byron said..

Must crimes be punished but by other crimes, and greater criminals? Back to thy hell! Thou hast no power upon me, that I feel.

Lets all listen to Auntie.

Anonymous said...

Roman, I am sorry there was confusion. I think you are great. Even though I have been to the hoop I do think that women can and do lie. And this Duke case is an example.
MTU'76

Joe said...

KC,

Don't have time to read all the comments. Would you mind adding Freda Black to the cast of characters? I'm not familiar with her role.

Thanks,

JAB

Anonymous said...

Freda has no role in the hoax.

Newyorkstateofmind said...

bill anderson 10:41 am said

"No, I am NOT a conservative Republican or even a Republican at all. But I can see that both parties have become a tag team against civil liberties. I'm just glad that a few rogues have been able to raise hell and expose this hoax for what it is."

Ah, all too true! I could make those words my own...except for the reference to "rogues," though one analog for rogue is "trickster." And in a sense the exposers of this monstrosity our tricksters, in that they've thankfully turned on head all the usual PC bromides that drive media exposure and public discussion of these sorts of nonsense affairs.

And then there is Easley's trip up north to my old stomping grounds in New York. My own read on this: Easley rightly views New York as the California of the East Coast: the place where you go to gain global, or at least national, credibility for a cause or feint or elision which you hope to convince the public of, nothwithstanding the flipflop that your current position represents.

Easley is about as credible as the high school administrator who is "schocked, schocked," that the otherwise mediocre candidate who was hired above 12 other better-qualified candidates for a teacher opening turns out to be a serial child molester.

Easley probably went out of his way to appoint Nifong, even as he dissed a number of much better qualified candidates for the job. Of course, I know nothing of the machinations and agendas, half less the day to day options, confronting Easley as he decided on appointing Nifong. But I know nothing of these things only because I live in California. Were I a Carolinian, doubtless I would be much more up to speed on the charade that surrounded this seemingly obtuse--but behind the curtain doubtless realpolitik appointment of Nifong, scenes of which I could have surmised had I been on the ground in Durham terrritory when this all took place. And scenes of which in-the-know Carolinians might well make public...better that Easley air his rehabilitation PR campaign far from the place (NC) where the facts might just get in the way of the lies he's propounding to escape such facts.

By going to New York, Easley can utter whatever blather he wants to about why or how he appointed Nifong, because no serious fact checking is going to make him account for the real reasons for the appointment, which reasons I suspect are more or less available to those in the legal Durham inner circle.



"As a person who has been put through the "system" and come out the other side as "not guilty", I can tell you that the "system" can work.

BUT, it took more than two years, all of my savings, my being unemployed for those two plus years, my father passing away before my being exonerated and having a "cloud" over my head for the rest of my life!"

Thus said anon 11:09

I have to tell you anon 11:09, the documentation in your second paragraph, and for that matter the rest of your post, totally contradicts the point in your first paragraph.

It is not just "guilty" verdicts that completely, and in many respects--as you so well note-- permanently, mar the lives of those who find themselves innocently in the maw of the criminal justice system. Simply to go through a false prosecution is a kind of true and long-lasting hell, all by itself, regardless of the ultimate disposition of the case which occasioned the life-wrecking. BTW, I don't speak from experience, I speak from observation, as an attorney, as a political animal.


M. Simon 8:27 pm

Love to see the spirited defense of IQ as a categorical descriptive of human qualities, foibles, failings. As Charles Murray documented in his book the Bell Curve, (which you and I have referenced in posts various on this blog at least a few times) even so mundane a task as clerical filing is done more efficiently and more quickly by those with relatively higher IQs than those with relatively lower ones.

Anonymous said...

I see we've really lost it over here.

Too bad, though I doubt it was accidental.

KC's postings deserve better comments.

Anonymous said...

Engine Co. FDNY

M. Simon says Republicans are "almost" as bad as the Dems... I'm not in tune with local politics in the South, but the Republicans have been running this country into the ground for years, with carte blanche in the House, Senate, Executive and even Judicial branch (arguably the sole branch where there are moderate Republican appointees rather than hardcore neocon idealouges).

They've been absolutely running the country into the ground, and there really is a malaise that hasn't been seen since Carter's administration. 3,000 men and women dead in the useless war in Iraq where it is quite clear that we aren't going to gain anything strategically or otherwise that we didn't have before (including some FDNY who joined to avenge 9/11). Granted, this doesn't compare to prosecutorial misdeeds (yes, severe ones) perpetrated unto the 3 Duke kids... or does it?

Anonymous said...

Bill Clinton raped Juanita Broderick. Talking about Clinton's penis is not off topic at all.
That woman is pretty old now and she didn't make this up. She wanted to reconcile what had been done to her and get it out in the open after so many years..
Bill Clinton's penis which some were discussing, as gross as that thought is, is very much on topic. He's a rapist who got away with it.

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