Congressman asks for federal investigation of Durham DA
Congressman Walter Jones, R-N.C., today asked U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to investigate whether Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong's conduct in the Duke lacrosse rape case "constitutes prosecutorial misconduct and has denied the students their civil rights as U.S. citizens under federal law."
Jones' office issued a press release.
The Associated Press provides coverage, as does The News & Observer of Raleigh.
This is out of Jones' territory. His 3rd Congressional District doesn't include any part of Durham County, nor does he represent any of the three individuals accused, who all come from out of state.
It makes me wonder whether Jones is thinking about running for statewide office. He probably could have the GOP nomination for governor if he wants it.
Whatever his motives, the issue he raises is on target. The prosecutor's actions may well have violated the federal civil rights of the defendants. The U.S. Justice Department might want to take a look.
Frankly, N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper should have intervened in this case a long time ago by naming a special prosecutor. Nifong has done everything wrong.
Update, Dec. 19: Noelle Talley, a spokeswoman for AG Cooper, called today to tell me state law does not allow the AG to name a special prosecutor unless requested to do so by the district attorney.
In other words, Nifong would have to ask to have himself relieved of the case. He has not done so.
Update, Dec. 13: Maybe it's time for Nifong to have a talk with the accuser. He could ask her about this. More importantly, he could try to objectively evaluate the facts of this case. That's supposed to be his job.
Comments (4)
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Doug, everytime I think I'm out, they pull me back in. Everytime I feel that all that can be said has been said, you or somebody else does this again. Allen et al. will write a new ridiculous editorial about the value of forced busing which in our county means forced busing for High Point and mysteriously NOT for Greensboro. And I live in High Point. Or I just happen to meet a Davidson Co. politician who asks me what the hecks going on up here, or you run a thread on a movie about inter-tribal warfare.
Now the old Savage would say something like
"Doug, are you sure you want to weigh-in in favor of the Feds intervening on a local county politician gone Coo-Coo?
But...I'm not going to do that. And it's not just because you would just say "But Dot's done absolutely nothing wrong". It's because I'm getting tired. So very tired.
I've suddenly realized you're getting paid to do this AND I'M NOT!
Could you maybe talk to Mr.Robinson for me.
Posted on December 12, 2006 3:55 PM
Savage, it would be my preference for state officials, like Roy Cooper or even the governor, to straighten out Mike Nifong. It's clear they are not going to. It would have been my preference for Durham voters to end his tenure as DA. Most did vote to do that, but he still won a plurality of votes last month. You know how it is when not enough voters see things your way. I expect that a jury will reject Nifong's case if it goes to trial, but that's still several months away, and lots of time and money will be wasted before then. So, where do you go in the meantime? Alberto Gonzales might stay out of this mess, but I can't fault Walter Jones for trying to draw his attention to it.
Posted on December 12, 2006 4:15 PM
Well said, Doug. What can anyone do?
If your're a north HP student or a Duke LaCrosse player, when you get Dotted or Knife-Fonged you just got to jump up and do the Woody Woodpecker call;
Ha-ha,ha,ha,ha. Ha-ha, ha, ha, ha, HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Posted on December 12, 2006 4:44 PM
Just because a state politician "asked" the Feds to step in does NOT mean the Feds will do it. There must be some kind of Federal question that is worthy of the time and resources the Feds would have to use to investigate. My feelings are that they won't get involved.
Posted on December 12, 2006 5:04 PM