In a statement that sealed the fate of his law license, Nifong proclaimed that he still believed--all evidence to the contrary--that "something happened" to Crystal Mangum.
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Comments and analysis about the Duke/Nifong case (2006-2014).
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- The Bitter-Enders
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- The Sanctions Motion
- Eviscerated
- The Worst of Witt: "Egregious" Mistakes
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- The Worst of Witt: The Neophyte Defense
- Hardin's Choices
- Nifong: What?! Non-Laxers Were There?
- Nifong: "I Don't Read Discovery Requests"
- Nifong Explains His Approach to DNA
- Nifong & Emostafa
- Chronicle Op-Ed
- "Something Happened"
- Judge Tjoflat's Perspective
- Nifong: Politics and the Press
- Jones Renews Call for Federal Inquiry
- Easley: Hardin as Interim DA
- When Suspects Aren't Suspects
- The Great Dissembler
- Nifong Defends the "Old-Fashioned Way"
- The Origin of Hooligans
- Nifong's "Law Enforcement Purpose"
- McClain: Group of 88 Defiant, Despite Settlement
- On the Bookshelf, II
- Montgomery-Blinn and NC "Innocence"
- Praising Beth Brewer
- Lane Williamson
- A Wild Day
- Nifong Is Out
- Nifong and Williamson
- Easley: Nifong Should Go Now
- Bannon on Absolute Innocence
- Duke and Three Families Settle
- Nifong Resigns . . . Eventually
- Marsha Goodenow Testimony
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- Beard on Nifong
- Nifong Defends Linwood Wilson
- The Himan Smoking Gun
- Brad Bannon on Nancy Grace
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- Sunday Hearing Roundup
- Findings
- Nifong Accepts Disbarment
- MaryEllen Finnerty
- David Evans
- Bar Character Witnesses--Jerry Parnell
- Verdict
- Brocker Follow-up
- Freedman Closing
- Nifong: "Old-Fashioned Guy"
- Nifong Closing Statement
- Nifong Inconsistencies
- Nifong and DNA: Closing Statement
- Nifong False Statements
- Bar's Closing Statements, Continued
- Closing Arguments: "Minister of Injustice"
- Nifong's Selective Memory
- Mike Nifong's "Flexible" Apology
- Nifong Trial, Day Four
- Bar Rebuttal
- Nifong Character Witnesses
- Tara Levicy
- Nifong: "Something Happened"
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- "From the Scottsboro Boys to Clarence Gideon, some of the most memorable legal narratives have been tales of the wrongly accused. Now “Until Proven Innocent,” a new book about the false allegations of rape against three Duke lacrosse players, can join these galvanizing cautionary tales . . , Taylor and Johnson have made a gripping contribution to the literature of the wrongly accused. They remind us of the importance of constitutional checks on prosecutorial abuse. And they emphasize the lesson that Duke callously advised its own students to ignore: if you’re unjustly suspected of any crime, immediately call the best lawyer you can afford."--Jeffrey Rosen, New York Times Book Review
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- Nifong December 28 letter to Bar
- Nifong January 16 letter to Bar
- Group of 88 statement (removed from Duke website)
- Group of 88 membership
- Transcript of relevant sections, April 4 "identification" "procedure"
41 comments:
Nifong's far, far beyond redemption. Just fry the punk. Absolutely fry him.
Clueless and arrogant, but stupid.
I hope he enjoyed his company while it lasted. Every professional bigot in America joined him in Durham, from Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, to NAACP, ACLU and New York al-Times editors.
Freedman said "I almost jumped out of my chair when he said that." Freedman did not know the audio had been turned on yet at interview.
Next time any reporter or civilian at a QA session has a chance, I'd like to see every one of them asked "Do you still think 'something happended'?"
Choice A - admit you messed up. Hard to do, but good for averyone all around if they do.
Choice B - further erode your credibility, and open yourself up to possible legal action.
Choice C - evade, and prove yourself a weasel.
Folks who especially deserve this treatment:
(1) Group of 88 professors.
(2) NC NAACP, who have the gall to be protesting in some other case now, as if they have any credibility left.
JLS says....,
Nifong knew his law license was gone. He did not want to risk losing his Law Professorship at NCCU law school.
Nifong gave an honest answer under oath as to what he believes to be true. There is nothing wrong with that. What was wrong was acting on that belief without objective evidence.
"Something Happened"?
What Happened? Who Did It? How was it done by someone who was miles away. Or was it done by the guy in another city... was it Raleigh ?
Did Elvis do it ?
What was done ?
What about the accounts that Mangum gave, that she later retracted? What about the conflicting stories?
WHAT is that SOMETHING that happened? Give us a little hint. Was she beaten ? Why are there no bruises ?
WHOSE DNA was found on her lingerie and her nether regions.
What was the testimony of her 'driver'.
Specifics please, on WHAT HAPPENED. The old news standbys: "Who, What, Where, When, Why, How"
And, why not sue Crystal, just to get her on the stand, where she will be subject to perjury if she lies.
6-21-2007 The Dallas Morning News
Dallas, TX
"Dallas will pay $1.55 million to a former assistant fire chief if fired after a sexual harassment investigation...
Accusations were baseless and brought by disgruntled employees who did not receive the full performance bonuses...
the judge has sharply rebuked city attorneys after questions were raised about whether they had tried to hide or destroy records...
06-21-2007 Dallas Morning News
Austin, TX
"...a Hispanic man was killed by a group of reportedly black attackers...
...East Austin right now is at a certain stage where small things can erupt into something major...
...severely beaten...after trying to save a friend from a group of two or there attackers...
...a nearby Juneteenth (Texas emancipation celebration) in a park had drawn 200-300...
..."The issue for me, and I guess for a lot of the people involved in the investigation" Commander Piatt said, "is that...there were a number of people around there that did nothing to stop it."
…DID NOTHING TO STOP IT - that sounds familiar...
Many thanks to the race, gender, and class warfare departments for inciting these types of activities.
I should say I was in East Austin a few years ago, 11th street actually, looking for a BBQ sandwich. Several hundred blacks had gathered in the street and parking lot across from the BBQ Hut and started throwing rocks at our car – only because we are white. On the other hand one of my favorite diners is on East Sixth Street (predominantly Hispanic area) five blocks south. Go figure…
I've officially had my fill of the racist, Marxist, hate-filled venom, spewed from the race/gender/class warfare frauds.
I continue to believe that Nifong is telling us that his office received unimpeachable testimony from members of the community that bad things happened at a party that evening.
So far, Nifong has never been asked in a proper court of law, for the names of those unimpeachable sources.
I suspect also that those unimpeachable sources no longer live anywhere near Durham, NC and that only the FBI has the resources necessary to track them down and investigate what they have to say.
It would not surprise me in the least that staff members in Nifong's office who received the information from those unimpeachable sources are retired or no longer employed or living in Durham, NC.
::
GP
JLS says....,
re: anon 9:43
Of course Nifong's "something happened" answer was not honest. None of his answers in that clip were honest.
What do you think he meant at that meeting on the 27th with Himan and Gottlieb when he say, "you know were f'ed?" What that statement means is that he lied about forming a belief that a rape happened that day. He knew no raped happened from that day on.
He is laughing inside when ever he repeats that statement.
Nifong is technically correct.
"Something happened in the bathroom".
That is correct, lots of things "happen" in the bathroom. So he is telling the truth.
But maybe as NC's top prosecutor, next time he can ask if something illegal "happened" in the bathroom.
Typical lawyer speak.
Saying "Something happpened" is a chicken shit way of casting guilt on those boys without actually having the balls to come out and say something he could be sued for. If he is so spineless that he can't even be clear and direct, he should shut his hole.
Vera, you da man.
Yes, something happened. A drunk and high stripper pulled off her fingernails while she and her dance partner plotted their next move in an attempt to get the money they wanted without having to do anything for it.
The problem is, that niether Reade Seligman nor Collin Finnerty were in the residence at that point.
You country southerners need to find something else to rant about. You people brought this upon yourselves. One need only look at your history of incestuous relations, cotton-picking mentalities, and lack of intellect to see that these types of things are bound to happen among you. I think the only people who are "surprised" and "outraged" are the people in your little country state and those on Duke's tired little campus.
Mr. Nifong's a lawyer. He certainly made a stupid decision when he did whatever he did to get his license taken away. On the other hand, he's not a fool. He's a lawyer...and an intelligent one at that. He will figure out how to make some money. He will never go hungry or be homeless. With millions of dollars in judgments against him, even O.J. Simpson is making money at this point and he is about as smart as wooden stump so surely Mr. Nifong can do it. Unless you people plan to follow him around 24-7, there’s nothing anyone can do. Don’t you think this guy has a game plan already? Lawyers always have an “ace in the hole.”
So the rest of these people involved should just go get jobs wherever they can (I hear the immigration department is hiring.), marry their sisters or cousins or however you guys do it, and hope for the best. You just can’t have strippers at the bachelor parties. Everyone can bring a distant cousin though…no, wait, that’s kind of the same thing isn’t. LOL
GET OVER THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
D.N.
from The Big Apple
Go Yankees!!
My understanding is that the AG considered the "something happened" allegation and decided that nothing did. When Nifong separated the rape charges from the kidnapping and sexual assault charges, he was, in fact, casting a broad net to say if no rape occurred then "something happened." The AG considered both possibilities(1. rape 2. kidnapping,sexual assault i.e. "something happened") and declared the players innocent of all charges. Therefore, we can now assert that "nothing happened" that night. It is telling that Nifong was disbarred for, among other things, continuing to assert that "something happened" that night when all evidence showed that nothing did.
The "something happened" belief is rampant here in Chapel Hill. Most people don't realize that this allegation was considered and rejected by AG Cooper.
Brant Jones
Yeah, yankees are doing great.
Nifong never thought that Crystal was raped...so he wasn't expressing his honest opinion...he was being a bitter, vindictive man to the end, imo...one last shot at the hooligans, he just couldn't resist..he grew to hate these men who did nothing wrong except refuse to lie down for him...
Where were the assistant DA's and para legals in the Durham DA's office during this whole debacle?
Surely at least one person was familiar with the non-evidence and said "whoa Mike, this doesn't seem like a reasonable course of action."
Am I wrong to expect peopel to do the right thing? Even if the boss doesn't?
moi
I have lived half my life in the South, and the other half in NY. It took me about five years to realize that my snotty, arrogant attitude towards the South was born of ignorance. I felt morally superior, for no real reason. You, DN, are still in ignorance mode. I suggest you come live down here for a while before you shoot your mouth off. I guess you superior New Yorkers brought on 9/11 because of your snotty, urban know-it-all mentality. How's the shoe feel on the other foot?
BobC
interesting comment re paralegals. My first reaction was that they are not in the position to form legal opinions or even know/understand all the facts, but after awhile I started to think that we need a federal Whistle-blower Act to expose future mikenifongs in local law enforcement and DA offices.
That would enable a whistle-blower (say, a paralegal in mikey's office) to get full protection and opportunity for anonymously pass information to federal officials.
I guess the paralegas and especially ADAs in nifongland did not have the guts to challenge him for his criminal behavior. Now they should pay for it and face penalties (ie lose their law license as well).
I think congressional investigation would be useful, too. Since Gonzales is not going to do anything, congress can have hearings. Anyway, somehow I feel that Alcee Hastings (corrupt AA judge, removed from office by congress, now leading dem in congress) and his ilk are going to support that.
The sad truth in all of this is that from the very beginning not one AA leader or minister in Durham was willing to stand up for the Constitution, but rather chose to resort to their racist preconceived notions about race, class, privilege, etc. For that cowardly act, I believe that Durham will suffer economic consequences. Companies looking to move to the triangle will certainly not have Durham on their short list. Over time, Durham will pay a big price for their racist conduct.
Sure something happened. A mentally-ill person with a history of lashing out violently at random bystanders when inebrieted showed up as the "party entertainment" when she was inebrieted. It turned out that the boys didn't find a 3-sheets-to-the-wind crazy person particularly entertaining, and it took all the fun right out of the party.
12:09
From the beginning of this hoax TO THIS VERY DAY none have them have taken this fiasco as an opportunity to focus attention on a broken system that disproportionately harms their own people.
Resentment seems more important to them than actually making anything better.
We're hearing a lot of "if they weren't rich and white they never would have survived" when what we *should* be hearing is names, dates and details of all the other folks, many poor & black, who've ridden the North Carolina Railroad. Like Leon Brown.
I think that KC Johnson will end up moving to the Duke/Triangle area.
If I ever start feeling bad for Nifong I am going to go back and watch that clip again.
"I think that KC Johnson will end up moving to the Duke/Triangle area. "
I think a more likely result of his work is that people with sense move away.
Durham does not need private industry - it has Duke, the largest employer in the county, the city government which keeps the loafers employed, and the federal government, which supports the rest of the population. No industry required. It is a plantation.
Anonymous said...
"Clueless and arrogant, but stupid."
Great point!!
Another prominet mind weighs in:
http://www.anncoulter.com/cgi-local/welcome.cgi
The Metanarrative is that something DID happen ... and it was Beyond Reprehensible. It was a Travesty of Justice. Three totally Innocent individuals were shanghai'ed into a 16 month Nightmare.
What did we learn from all this? That the Justice System works fine .... if 1) $4 million is invested in legal fees for defense 2) you have the incredible luck to have electronic records of your whereabouts 3) you have the internal strength to stand strong while being castigated by Agenda Driven Zealots. Vicious Fanatics who have no regard for individual freedom and liberty.
One wonders how many black on white rapes/assaults/kidnappings have been committed since this fiasco first started.
One wonders the inverse metrics as well.
The brutal murders in TN, the rape in Durham, and the murder in Austin leap out as the show the vile hypocrisy of the media.
If you are not concerned about bi-partisan efforts to bring back the Fairness Doctrine, you should be.
Let's see. If you don't have anything, nothing, not one iota, zilch, null, none, zero evidence that anything/something happened then it stands to reason that something happened. No wonder the Group88 people are mainly liberal arts. They are participating in paranormal phenomena that transcends creditable science. Oh, of course, wonderland.
My goodness, rich and white, is not quite the truth is it? It has been a roller coaster ride that has been controlled by luck as much as anything else. Always, the facts pointed toward the truth, and without those facts, the three young men would be going to prison or in prison as I type this. A few good people said, "Huh?" to this railroading and misuse of the law and began to push back against a system that was being misused by Nifong, Brodhead, the Group88, the Durham Police Department, and others who found it easier to accused and denounce and intimidate than to attempt to find out the truth of the matter. Shame! Shame!
Every professional bigot in America joined him in Durham, from Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, to NAACP, ACLU and New York al-Times editors.
Like clockwork. It's been going on for four decades now.
It's time to end the tryanny of these race hustlers. All of the excesses of the 60's have gone on too long. Our campuses and MSM need cleaned up.
Oh, and, Hillary Clinton is another divisive person that plays the race card, like most of the Dems. Here's hoping she never gets into the White House.
HILLARY WILL WIN THE WHITE HOUSE. SHE PROBABLY WON'T DO MUCH WHILE SHE'S THERE. WHY? BECAUSE SHE'S A POLITICIAN AND AMERICANS LET THESE PEOPLE GET AWAY WITH EVERYTHING FROM ROBBING US OF OUR PAYCHECKS TO FRIVILOUS SPENDING OF OUR TAX DOLLARS ON PORK PROJECTS. AT WHAT POINT WILL WE HOLD THESE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. THE ONLY THING WE HAVE NOW IS OUR VOTES; HOWEVER, AFTER 4 OR 6 YEARS IN OFFICE, THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE AND THERE IS NO WAY TO RECOVER.
I'D RATHER SEE "WINNIE THE POO" IN THE WHITE HOUSE THAN TO KEEP THE INCOMPETENT IMBECILL WE HAVE IN THERE NOW. EVEN AFTER ALL THESES YEARS, HE STILL DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE ABOUT ANYTHING. ALBERTO FINDS A WAY TO "JUSTIFY" HIS ILLEGAL OPERATIONS AND CONDOLEEZA FINDS A WAY TO HELP HIM PRETEND THE UNITED STATES GIVES A DAMN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD. IF ALBERTO AND CONDOLEEZA WERE TO ABANDON HIM AT THIS POINT, HE WOULD BE RUNNING THE SHOW ON HIS OWN. THAT REALLY SCARES ME. HE NEEDS TO LEARN HOW TO PRONOUNCE "NUCLEAR." I CHUCKLE EVERY TIME I HEAR HIM RIP THAT WORD TO SHREDS!
GO HILLARY!! (OR ANYONE WITH SOME SENSE.)
Actually, I thought Sharpton and Jesse were smart enough to stay clear of this.
This proved like nothing else that Nifong's crying jag was a complete charade. He is not at all sorry for what he did to Collin, Reade and Dave. He just went right ahead and tried to smear them one last time.
2:54:00 PM - all caps, all idiot.
The only possible explanation for black failure is white racism. And since blacks are markedly poor, crime-prone, and dissipated, America must be racked with pervasive racism. Nothing else could be keeping them in such an abject state. All discourse on the matter is locked into this logic. Since blacks are failing so terribly in America, there simply must be millions of white people we do not know about, who are working day and night to keep blacks in misery. The dogma of racial equality leaves no room for an explanation of black failure that is not, in some fashion, an indictment of white people.
The logical consequences of this are clear. All failure or misbehavior by non-whites is standing proof that white society is riddled with hatred and bigotry. So, as long as non-whites fail to succeed in life at exactly the same level as whites, whites will be, by definition, thwarting and oppressing them.
White people are cowards for accepting this. They deserve what they get.
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