Comments on: Duke Lacrosse Rape Case

By: Steve Verdon

Steve Verdon — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 23:13:22 +0000

If I was the city, I would have been negotiating for a withdrawal of the charges in return for no lawsuit or an agreed to settlement.

IANAL, but this sounds fishy. "Well do the just thing in this case, if you promise not to hold us accountable for our unjust actions." I dunno. Besides, my guess is the city of Durham has little or no say now that it is in the hands of special prosecutor.

By: yetanotherjohn

yetanotherjohn — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 22:51:15 +0000

The problem will not be in the dismissal, but in the continued prosecution of a non-case. I suspect part of what has been holding this up is a massive lawsuit against the city of Durham by the current defendants. If I was the city, I would have been negotiating for a withdrawal of the charges in return for no lawsuit or an agreed to settlement.

By: just me

just me — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 21:05:05 +0000

I think she is absolutely right that this kind of prosecution in the long run harms prosecutions of real rape cases.

I also would like to see the accuser charged if there is a case, and Nifong's actions are unethical and he should be held accountable for them through the bar, civil proceedings,and criminal proceedings if there is a criminal charge.

Prosecutors should not create cases out of whole cloth in order to win elections.

By: m

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 20:48:31 +0000

I might be wrong, but I think it would send a very positive message if the stripper were prosecuted for perjury and the DA was disbarred and sued. Maybe then we would get past these Tawana Brawley imitators.

By: BigFire

BigFire — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 19:33:31 +0000

In one sense, this case can best be describe as Mike Nifong's quest to secure his public pension. Nifong just need a couple of months into this year to be fully vested in the DA pension fund. His political rival in the DA's office made it clear that if she's elected, her first order of business is to clean house and fire him. That's why this case went forward. He need the black vote to secure the Democratic primary nomination. He got elected, and is now fully vested in his pension. I'm not sure if the pension can be subject to civil lawsuit by the family of the accused players, and whether he can spend any of that money in jail.

By: Adam

Adam — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:47:54 +0000

Cases like these make it harder for those who are actually victims of rape. If this caes is indeed throw out, I hope that the State goes after Nifong and the fake victim.

By: Modern Tribalist

Modern Tribalist — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Duke Case: The End of Nifong's "Reign of Terror" Is In Sight State Bar Says Nifong Skirted System in Handling of Duke Lacrosse Case Duke Lacrosse Case: America's Top Sex Crimes Expert Cites Serious Problems Duke Lacrosse Rape Case Duke Rape Accuser Ordered To Appear Before Special Prosecutor Today Fiat justitia ruat caelum: An Open Letter to North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper