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.