Judge Orders Duke DA To Leave Duties

A judge ordered Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong on Monday night to leave his duties immediately after he was disbarred for his misconduct in the Duke University rape case.

The veteran prosecutor had announced earlier in the day he would leave July 13. But that wasn't soon enough for Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson, who decided to immediately suspend Nifong from office.

As part of the suspension, Hudson said he would order the sheriff to prevent Nifong from carrying out any duties of the district attorney.

"I have thought about the situation, and this is way I wish to proceed," Hudson said.

A disciplinary committee of the North Carolina State Bar concluded Saturday that Nifong had lied to the court, made inflammatory statements about the three indicted lacrosse players and their teammates, and withheld critical DNA evidence from defense attorneys. After some administrative steps, Nifong will have 30 days to turn in his law license.

Duke suspended Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and Dave Evans after they were charged last year with raping a stripper at an off-campus party. The university also canceled the team's season and forced their coach to resign.

The allegations were debunked in April by state prosecutors, who said the players were the innocent victims of a "tragic rush to accuse" by Nifong.

[realpatriot1]

Kailumego1,

It's not just "whiny rascist white folks" who think an injustice happened here.

Bear in mind that the primary reason that the students are free today and Nifong is out is because 2 African-Americans thought an injustice was happening and spoke up-the other dancer and the cab driver.

[olemiss85]

A lack of evidence doesn't mean the person is innocent or guilty, simply the prosecutor can't prove his/her case "beyond a responsible doubt". Posted by kailumego1 at 11:48 AM : Jun 19, 2007

Reasonable doubt not responsible doubt.

In this case, the attorney general of NC didn't say there was a lack of evidence, he said there was NO evidence, nada, nothing and not only is there not a case but these boys are innocent. I suppose this man is a whining white racist too.

You are a really stupid person. Do you have a job? Who would hire you to wash their car let alone let you do anything hard like flip burgers at a fast food place? I am truly scared you might get burned because you might feel that because you can't "see" the heat on the grill, you might still put your hand on it for lack of other evidence.

[olemiss85]

Those three delinquents are as guilty as O.J.....
So, for all you simpering whining racist white folks that think there has been a injustice, think about O.J. Simpson, he was found not-guilty.
Posted by kailumego1 at 11:48 AM : Jun 19, 20

and the burden of proof in a criminal case is proof beyond a "reasonable doubt", not "responsible doubt."

You are a stupid person.

[xzavierbrown]

so when is Al Shaprton going to be prosecuted??
This piece of sh it is perhaps the fuel that motivated Nifong.

[klingon69]

Come forward and do what Nifong still refuses to do, admit you were wrong. ADMIT IT! What gauls me is that somewhere someone still thinks these students are guilty? The dumbing of America continues.
Posted by olemiss85 at 05:06 AM : Jun 19, 2007
The board of regents and administration, as well as those professors that pushed for the suspending of the students, team, and forced resignation of the coach, all need to be removed from their positions and new persons to take their place.

[uffdaron]

I'm glad this turned out with the innocent men being found innocent and I'm glad it is over but what a sad case. Most of us poke a lot of fun at lawyers but we really hate to see one so corrupt and screwed up, especially when they are on the side of the law. It is scary when you see how easily a person can get caught in a whirlpool that he had nothing to do with. Humans aren't perfect, but honest would be nice.We should all be careful in snap judgements particularly when it is a very public case. Maybe the prosecutors should start taking a truth telling oath each day.

[kailumego1]

Those three delinquents are as guilty as O.J.....
So, for all you simpering whining racist white folks that think there has been a injustice, think about O.J. Simpson, he was found not-guilty.

A lack of evidence doesn't mean the person is innocent or guilty, simply the prosecutor can't prove his/her case "beyond a responsible doubt".

O.J. Simpson was found not guilty because of a lack of evidence, now does that mean he didn't commit the crime, certainly not, but the prosecutor could not prove his/her case "beyond a responsible doubt".


The lack of DNA evidence in this case doesn't mean these three degenerates are innocent simply there was not enough evidence to prosecute the case, which the overzealous prosecutor, Nifong, went ahead and sought to prosecute anyway.

The only thing that can be said about this case is that he used poor judgment and allowed political pressure to persuade him to prosecute a case without merit.

The accuser may be a nasty who$e, however, she ain't by herself, these three low-life degenerates are paddling in the same boat.

Please put your "pity-party" in check.....

[lawandorder7]

He needs to be out of THE USA.

[realpatriot1]

Infidel_US,

I knew we could eventually see eye-to-eye on something.

The guv can't remove him early but a Judge is holding a hearing today to do just that. It's crazy to think of this disbarred piece of expletive deleted presiding over any more cases.

The other person that's never mentioned but who should be added to the list of people to be shot is the presiding Judge. EveThese guysn though I live in the Raleigh area and had to hear about this case ad nauseum for over a year, I don't know who that Judge is.

They never slapped a gag order on the parties, so both the prosecution and the defense tried this thing so much in the press that there was no way a
trial could be fair.

These guys were certainly victimized by all the parties you've mentioned. Any woman who wants to bring legitimate charges in the future and any future innocent defendent has also been victimized.

Most other innocently accused defendents don't get the opportunity that these guys fortunately had to get their story out. To their credit, some of the lacrosse players have acknowledged this fact.

I hope they receive compensation for what they were put through and I also hope they will work with groups attempting to help others accused to recieve justice. Then some good could come out of this.

[infidel_us]

The ***/stripper needs to be charged and/or prosecuted for filing a false police report!
Posted by acauble1 at 06:31 AM : Jun 19, 2007

You are absolutely right! As a matter of fact, if I were one of those students, my new full time job would be suing Nifong, the stripper, the cops, the state of NC, Duke University, the professors at Duke who signed the "racist manifesto"........

I wouldn't need a degree because I'd have more money than God, and the satisfaction of seeing all these losers ruined for life.