Few figures associated with the lacrosse case are quite so pathetic as Linwood Wilson—the ethically-challenged, Bible-singing p.i. hired by the equally ethically-challenged Mike Nifong to be Nifong’s chief investigator.
Wilson, who was summarily fired as soon as the disbarred Nifong left his position, has had a rather checkered career since his time as Sheriff of the Lacrosse Case. As a defendant in civil suits filed by the falsely accused players, he elected to represent himself, in the process proving the aphorism that a man who represents himself has a fool for a client. And he experienced life as a criminal defendant, when his wife accused him of threatening to kill her, sending her a text-message stating, "'til death do we part remember your wedding vows.. you never know the day or the time.” Wilson allegedly informed her that he could get away with it since “he owned Durham [and] lawyers and judges would do anything he said."
On March 8, Counselor Wilson previewed his client’s strategy in addressing the issues with his wife. After erroneously filing a criminal complaint, Wilson, again acting as his own attorney, filed a civil lawsuit—alleging, almost comically, federal civil rights violations—against his wife, her sister, and her parents (or, in Wilson’s wording, her “co-conspirators”).
The basics of Counselor Wilson’s claim: Linwood Wilson doesn’t much want to work, and his wife, by walking out on him (after he allegedly threatened to kill her) left him to pay the mortgage on their house, thereby defrauding both him and the bank that holds the mortgage note.
In his filing, Counselor Wilson states that his client is “unemployed and had been since June 25, 2007.” The filing gives no indication that Wilson has looked for work at any point in that time; instead, he was the “dependent spouse based solely on the income of . . . Barbara B. Wilson,” who worked for the local Coca-Cola plant. He nonetheless asks for damages to cover “past and future economic loss”—and also “Attorneys’ fees.” (Wilson’s filing doesn’t say what he’s charging himself.) The Counselor also requests damages to counter his “loss of reputation.” I wasn’t aware that Wilson had a good reputation to lose.
Counselor Wilson’s filing, ironically given its intent, paints a somewhat sympathetic figure of his estranged wife. Wilson—a man, again, who by his own admission hasn’t earned a cent since June 2007—affirms that he complained about his wife engaging in “unnecessary spending,” which led her to store some of her clothes at her workplace. And, Wilson admits, while he and his wife might have led a swingers’ lifestyle, “She was not forced when having sex with other couples or Pat Wilson.” I wonder where in the Bible Wilson found justification for his engaging in the sort of behavior that his attorney’s filing has conceded.
Counselor Wilson’s chief aim in his filing, however, seems to be to spread dirt against his wife. He passes along news that she admitted to “misappropriate [I’m assuming Counselor Wilson meant to say “inappropriate” here] sexual contact” with another man, her “paramour.” And, tapping into sexist sentiments that might have been mainstream in the 1970s, Counselor Wilson claims that his wife went to Delaware to live with her parents not to escape his tyrannical behavior but because “menopause” might have caused her “emotional problems.”
Counselor Wilson has requested a jury trial. He better hope there aren’t any women who sit in judgment of him.
26 comments:
Kind of sad, but also satisfying at the same time. Schadenfreude at its best, I guess
There are few things worse than a man who thinks of his spouse as a possession. Wilson's attorney seems to think his client owns another human being. Does being someone's lawyer constitute employment or am I missing something? hee hee
Wow! You really CAN'T make this stuff up. Swinger and gospel singer. Which gospel approves of wife-swapping?
To Prof. Johnson,
It has been more than 4 years since all the LAX players filed suits against Nifong, DPD, Duke and etc... Will there be any trials and whats taking the cases sooo long?
I've been following DIW for 5 years and brought your book, Until Proven Innocent and I want to see the conclusion of these cases.
Thank you.
Please, K.C. Please tell me that you are making up this stuff, that Linwood Wilson did not actually write the material about the wife-swapping activities.
In truth, I doubt you could make up this stuff, as if it were in a John Grisham novel, it would not be considered believable. What a cast of very, very sorry characters. And to think that Richard Brodhead, John Burness, Joe Alleva, Larry Moneta, and the Evil Gangs of 88 and 87 actually threw their lot in with this trash. This tells us more about their character (or lack thereof) than anything else.
Swingers' lifestyle?? Liar.
There is no way. Just the sight of him (fully clothed) makes me nauseous. Creepy. Seriously, no one in their right mind....
He's lying, he just has to be.
If a novelist had written the scenario listed in attorney Wilson's brief (which begs the question, how did he ever pass the bar?), said novelist's editors would reurn the script stating such a plot was inconceivable. But once again here is proof that truth (in this case the bizzareness of one Linwood Wilson) is stranger than fiction.
cks
Wilson is simply manipulator. Enabled by the legal system and those in power - citizens of Durham should be ashamed by the damage he has caused to so many. Perhaps memebers of Group 88 will come to is defense - the next thing we will hear is how he is the real victim.
Ooooooo I wanna be on the jury!!!! But since Linny owns Durham, i guess he will handpick his jury. Nobody with a brain or a utereus will be in the pool. Maybe he will wrangle a seat for Nifong. Now THAT sight i would pay good money to see!
Off topic but the AP is reporting tonight that Jamie Gorelick is a potential nominee to head the FBI. This in spite of her role as General Counsel at Countrywide and her role in defending Duke against the LaCrosse players.
Another OT comment. Thank you, KC for hanging with this case. I'm sure you have plenty to do in your life besides this. I check back every week to see the latest and am always thrilled when you have a new post up. My first thought is always that there's movement in the lawsuits. Alas, that's seldom (never?) the case, but the sheer comedy of this post makes up for it (for a while).
Managers without leadership skills such as Nifong do hire people like Linwood to make a point.
And KC caught the point when he used the word CLASSY and Linwood in the same sentences.
As I look back over the characters Nifong hired or assigned to work this case I can almost hear him telling the North Carolina AG that because of the lack of resources he (Nifong) was forced to bring in amateurs, miscreants, and classless buffoons to work the case.
And why did Nifong need more resources? Because of the Duke students of course.
And with a little help from the Group of 88 no doubt, Nifong actually began to believe he needed more resources because of Duke students.
The only way to avoid this game and the delusions that accompany the playing of the game is to focus on solid data on community demand, quality protocols, investigations and procedures.
Quality should be # 1 in the DA's office.
Or it will all fall apart rather dramatically in a not so classy ball of fire that accompany lawsuits from those who have been harmed.
::
GP
cks - Although Wilson is representing himself in this and the LAX-related cases, he is not an attorney.
Praise the Lord for Linwood Wilson. He is anti-Communist!
Linwood Weasel.
Does anyone have a picture of Mrs. Wilson?
Jamie Gorelick has had a prime role in every debacle in this country since 9/11, and probably even before that. With today's news, I'm fairly certain there will be a connection to the anti-nuclear forces and some kind of union with Guaddhaffi, Kaddafi, or whatever his name is!
Anon. 3/21/2011 at 10:40
Yes, you are correct. Old lying Linwood is just defending himself. It is hard to keep it all straight after so many years!
cks
Thank you, KC, for keeping all of us up to date on the "Soap Opera" in Durham. Linwood Wilson is simply a living caricature and. certainly, an insulting rather than complimentary one at that.
How does someone with such limited moral capacity and even less ability continue to survive? Is he a ward oif the State of North Carolina?
There seems to be a prurient interest associated with this blog article.
NoD
Trash is Trash. But I second what 3/19 12:15 PM asked. What is going on with the lawsuits?
"What is going on with the lawsuits?"
I think by now one could be excused for thinking that the judge never intended to allow these cases to come to trial, or to where the defendants would have to testify under oath.
There hardly seems to be any other reasonable explanation for his intervention to prevent discovery; accepting Nifong's absurd claim of $180 million in liabilities (while at the same time Nifong was arguing before the court that he was immune to liabilities); taking an almost obscene amount of time to decide the simple matter of whether or not the plaintiffs have presented sufficient allegations for their causes to be heard.
Even if the above is not correct, whatever Judge Beaty rules now will always be suspect; especially if he accepts the city arguments that the players are not part of a protected group which has constitutional rights; or that the city defendants are all immune for all their acts.
The standard for recusal of a judge is whether or not his actions give the appearance of impartiality; it does not matter in these instances whether, as case law says, his heart is pure and spotless--it is the mere appearance of bias which must be avoided.
If a judge's actions become so controversial or subject to suspicions of prejudice against one side or the other,
then it becomes his duty to recuse himself.
In the U.S. District Court were I reside, there is a local rule reading: "83-13 Reminders to the Court (a) Matters Under Advisement. If any matter, including a motion or a decision in a bench trial, is under advisement more than sixty (60) days, each affected party must send the assigned judge a letter describing the matter and stating when it was taken under advisement. Every forty-five (45) days thereafter, while the matter remains under advisement, each affected party must send a similar letter to the Chief Judge."
The purpose is to bring dilatory conduct of judges to the attention of the Cheif Judge without one side being singled out for proding the judge, since the rule requires reminders by all parties. This rule keeps matters moving along briskly. Readers in North Carolina should seek adoption of a similar rule there.
Last month, a 11 year old girl was gang raped by 19 black men in Cleveland, Texas. Guess what?
The black community including a black Minister name Quanell X blame this all on a 11 year old girl because she was dressed provactivly. (Remember Crystal Magnum?)
Where is Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Rev. Barber or naacp to help and aid this 11 year old girl?
To all,
Off topic, but on the general subject of prosecutorial misconduct is a recent Supreme Court case.
It appears that his civil suit(s) have been dismissed. But, when is Linwood's criminal trial releated to the death threats against Barbara? The last thing I read was that the NC State Attorney General was going to handle the case. I know Barbara from many years ago. She is a good person and I do not believe the wife swapping story. If she did anything like that it was because he forced her into something she did not want to do.
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