Friday, August 4: This post is closed. Resume the discussion at Semen in the House.
Update (8/1): See KC Johnson’s latest Duke post, The Brodhead Files.
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Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong didn’t utter those exact words, but that’s the gist of his confession at a press conference last week. See WRAL.com for a video of the 30-minute conference.
The prosecutor said he “underestimated” the media’s interest in his weak yet titillating man-bites-dog case and “misjudged” the effect his many words — like labeling some of the lacrosse players “hooligans” — would have on the case. (For more of Nifong’s “misjudgments,” see Scottsboro, NYT, and Hauntings.)
In my lay opinion, he’s lying. While Nifong may be sorry now for not keeping his mouth shut then, I don’t believe for one second that he “underestimated” or “misjudged” anything. He manipulated left-leaning and jaded journalists to great effect. Bored with the usual crime stories, they soaked up every word.
I haven’t been following the Duke case for the last couple of weeks, but check out The Johnsville News and John in Carolina for updates. Also visit CourtTV.com’s Duke forum.
KC Johnson found Nifong’s campaign web site and dissects the heck out of it.
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Observer calls for a special prosecutor to handle the case.
Nifong should recuse himself from the case based on reckless comments made about the targets of his investigation while still gathering evidence and proceeding with this case based on what appears to be weak evidence. Can he make a case for forcible rape? Doubtful.
With no DNA connecting any of the three indicted players to the stripper-accuser (it was her “boyfriend’s” DNA!), conflicting tales woven by the stripper-accuser (see That Motion!), no physical evidence of forcible rape by the three indicted men (read the motions linked in this post), and serious timeframe issues, we’re left to believe that Nifong either has something huge but unrevealed or he’s a man so deep in #$%& that he can’t climb out.
It might be “mean-spirited” to say this, but I don’t like him. 
Addendum: Forgot to mention that Duke U. president Richard Brodhead responded to alumni criticism of his effete handling of the matter thus far.
Also, a reader wants to know if there’s a defense fund for the lacrosse players.
Later…There is indeed: click over to Friends of Duke University for info on contributing to the defense fund.
Photo source: WRAL
