I was pleased to see N.C. District Attorney Mike Nifong disbarred for his horrific handling of the Duke 
lacrosse nightmare. But, I was saddened to hear that the players’ families now want to pursue criminal charges against Nifong and won’t rest until they see him behind bars. I might feel differently if the kids were mine, but I don’t see how Nifong’s serving jail time accomplishes much of anything, except revenge.
In the same vein, I see that that opportunist par excellence, the Rev. Al Sharpton, met with the L.A district attorney in the aftermath of the Paris Hilton ‘tempest in a teapot’ to demand equal justice for all. I’d like to think that Sharpton really is looking out for the little guy. In reality, though, he’s just a headline-seeking grandstander looking to capitalize, once again, on others’ mistakes.
Steve you are way off base with your Rodney King analogy. Your entire comment is groundless because the duke players are not a member of any “protected class” and therefore not entitled to consideration or protection under federal civil rights laws.
Two words here:
Rodney King.
What does he have to do with Nifong?
Well, after the cops were cleared of any charges by a local jury, Daddy Bush tried and convicted them in Federal Court for violating Rodney King’s civil rights.
I don’t like it but the situation as it currently stands is that for every local/state law, there is some national equivalent. I don’t like it. It is defacto double-jeopardy and an intrusion into what should be the role of the states, but that is how it stands. So might as well make use of it in this case.
The Bush administration can and should arrest Mike Nifong for violating the Civil Rights of the Duke players. The fact that Bush hasn’t done so when he so eagerly arrested the boarder guards (and convicted them) is a disgrace and an insult to all who voted for him. The public, ESPECIALLY REPUBLICANS should now demand that he steps in on this case and throw Nifong into a Federal Prison to await trial.
Bush has to be the worst President in American history. And the way that he is has personally betrayed his base is extremely offensive. Surely he could throw us a bone on this one couldn’t he? We should demand that he does.
Repman, I too was pleased, I guess that means we (shudder) agree. Prosecutors regularly do what Nifong did. They abuse their extraordinarily powerful prosecutorial discretion solely to “make cases” and in so doing, advance their careers–victims be damned. Nifong however, did it to the wrong people (kids with families and supporters with resources). He got caught and rightly disbarred. Every day many unethical prosecutors wield their discretion to the detriment of the innocent poor. Thankfully Nifong will no longer be among their number.
That said, you are Repman and of course got something wrong. The families cannot pursue criminal charges against Nifong, that’s up to the state of North Carolin–assuming that criminal culpability attaches to something that Nifong did. At least one Duke player, however, is pursuing a civil action against Nifong and the Sate for wrongful prosecution. The Duke players went through hell and deserve to be compensated.