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Owen Meany
09-02-2016, 10:17 AM
I realize this not directly related to Duke Basketball. But it does relate to such an important part of Duke Athletics history I thought it warranted a thread here.

Mike Nifong is in the news again. Many people may be unaware of these developments, since they have received only a fraction of the coverage the Lacrosse hoax did.

Here is the Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/news/true-crime/wp/2016/08/30/disbarred-duke-lacrosse-prosecutor-mike-nifong-is-back-along-with-more-misconduct-allegations/?outputType=accessibility&nid=menu_nav_accessibilityforscreenreader).

The LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/sns-bc-us--double-murder-investigative-misconduct-20160901-story.html)

Locally, The Times News (http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/20160902/nc-innocence-center-investigating-cases-led-by-nifong-durham-das)

Cliffs Notes: A murder conviction from 1995 was overturned because of Nifong's "horrendous prosecution" in which he withheld potentially exculpatory evidence. Incredibly. This includes the withholding of exculpatory rape kit evidence and extends past Nifong's tenure to his successor. Now there is an ongoing review of some of Nifong, and Durham's, past cases.


A judge ruled that DNA evidence showed Howard didn't participate in the rape and murder of a woman and her 13-year-old daughter in 1991. Judge Orlando Hudson freed him from prison. Hudson two years ago also threw out Howard's sentence, saying former District Attorney Mike Nifong failed to share with defense attorneys a police memo and other evidence that pointed to suspects other than Howard.
...
Four of the roughly 20 cases the center is investigating directly involved work by Nifong, said Mumma. More than half were handled by other staffers during his nearly three decades prosecuting crimes in Durham.

I would love to hear the reaction of the many Nifong enablers who so vocally supported him at the time of the Lacrosse Hoax. But since they were silent when Mrs. Mangum started a fire in her apartment with her children inside and again when she killed her boyfriend, I am pretty sure they will have nothing to say now.

Perhaps the greatest tragedy in this entire case was that so many people were willing to leave Mangum's children with a mother who was clearly mentally ill and a very real danger to their well-being - because placing the children in a safe environment would require them to admit Mangum's mental illness and would complicate their efforts to railroad the clearly innocent lacrosse players.

flyingdutchdevil
09-02-2016, 10:43 AM
Few things boil my blood like Mike Nifong. As a student during Lacrosse-Gate, I am so jaded when it comes to Durham politics, Duke administration, and anti-Duke media (somehow, I don't get upset over anti-Coach K or anti-Duke basketball media. This really only applies to Duke as an institution).

Happy to hear that Nifong is getting smacked around again. Would love to see him go back to court time and time again.

The only positive that Nifong brought is creating so much tension between Duke and Durham that Duke really had to refocus and reinvest in Durham. It's a great thing. As someone who lives in New Haven and understands how awful Yale treats New Haven, I appreciate what Duke has done over the last 10 years.

TKG
09-02-2016, 07:41 PM
Judge Orlando Hudson dismissed the charges and the Durham DA's office has announced that they will not retry the case.

YmoBeThere
09-02-2016, 08:31 PM
The only thing I think we can know for certain about this case is that Mr. Howard will not get those 21 years back.

Pghdukie
09-02-2016, 08:48 PM
Has the LaCross Alumni been active in any of these cases ? IIRC they were really bitter towards Nifong. As well as they should.

TKG
09-02-2016, 09:10 PM
Has the LaCross Alumni been active in any of these cases ? IIRC they were really bitter towards Nifong. As well as they should.

Lawyers from the Innocence Project ( the recipient of some of the settlement money the players received) brought the case. Jim Cooney, who defended Reade Seligman, was involved in the defense in this case, as well.

DukeFanSince1990
09-03-2016, 11:04 AM
I try not to throw these terms around a lot, but Mike Nifong is a despicable human being.

BD80
09-03-2016, 01:23 PM
I try not to throw these terms around a lot, but Mike Nifong is a despicable human being.

I make a point of never saying something behind someone's back that I wouldn't say to their face.

I agree with you.