Last month, 60 Minutes blew the lid off the Duke University Rape Case. They took their time to do it right, exposing one of the great frauds by a prosecutor in U.S. history. The double-length presentation featured analysis of documents as well as interviews with the accused boys on the lacrosse team.
Over the past six months, 60 Minutes examined nearly the entire case file, more than 2,000 documents, including police reports, witness statements and medical records. The evidence 60 Minutes aired revealed disturbing facts about the conduct of the police and the district attorney, and in 60 Minutes underplayed words, “raises serious concerns about whether or not a rape even occurred.”
The three accused Duke players are white, and come from wealthy families. The accuser is a black stripper hired to perform at a team party, and someone who has a shady past. The other stripper who was with her denies that a rape occured. DNA evidence has seemingly cleared the boys.
Said David Evans, co-captain of the Duke lacrosse team and one of the accused players, “This woman [the accuser] has destroyed everything I worked for in my life. She’s put it on hold. She’s destroyed two other families and she’s brought shame on a great university. And, worst of all she’s split apart a community and a nation on facts that just didn’t happen and a lie that should have never been told.”
CBS legal analyst Mickey Sherman followed up the 60 Minutes expose with this article. Sherman also said the following about the boys’ interview on The Early Show:
“It shows an incredible amount of confidence in your case. You didn’t see lawyers sitting next to these guys,” he said. “And the fact they would just submit themselves tells me the lawyers believe their clients and believe in their clients and they are able to handle any cross examination in court, much less the interrogation of Ed Bradley.”
In my opinion, Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong should have been impeached from office, disbarred for gross negligence, and prosecuted for abuse of power. He blatantly used an obviously fake rape case to further his political ambition, garnering votes within the local black community in North Carolina to win a close election. His opportunistic gambit has cost several young boys their reputations, and has cast a shadow of derision across all students at one of the finest universities in the United States.
Instead, Mike Nifong was re-elected this month to continue serving his community in North Carolina as their top legal prosecutor. What a disgrace.
November 28th, 2006 at 4:49 am
Seems that bad choice for elected officials was going on everywhere….
November 28th, 2006 at 8:33 am
Yes indeed! Hardly seems fair. If you know anything about lawyering, maybe you can take Nifong on next time.
November 28th, 2006 at 10:40 am
This case has Tawana Brawley written all over it.
December 28th, 2006 at 4:14 pm
[...] Over a month ago we called for Mike Nifong’s disbarment, indictment, and recall from office, and we have continued to cover the story here and here. Let’s hope we are on the way to restoring the rule of law. Let’s hope that Mike Nifong gets his due so we can put this national travesty by a renegade prosecutor behind us. [...]
January 14th, 2007 at 10:48 pm
[...] Mike Nifong is a Goner By McCain Bye bye, Mike Nifong. We called for Mike Nifong’s disbarment and removal from office long ago. Nifong’s unethical behavior in the Duke lacrosse team rape case is infuriating. He intentionally put some fine boys and families through a sham case, a rape case he knew was bogus, just so he could win an election. Go to hell, Mike Nifong. Mike Nifong Did Not Plan on Accountability [...]
June 15th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
[...] step will be achieved by the North Carolinia judicial bar disciplinary hearing, something that we editorialized for as early as November 28, [...]