Judge Suspends DA Mike Nifong Immediately

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Mon Jun 18, 2007 at 09:55:31 PM EST
Tags: Duke Lacrosse, Mike Nifong (all tags)

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DA Mike Nifong submitted his resignation letter Monday, to take effect July 13, but that wasn't fast enough for Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson. The Judge ordered him suspended immediately and has appointed a special prosecutor, Wake County attorney Robert Zaytoun, to handle a civl removal case against him.

In February, Durham resident Elizabeth Brewer had filed a civil complaint asking Hudson to remove Nifong under a section of state law. She claimed Nifong had exhibited willful misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice that brings the office into disrepute.

Orlando put off action on Brewer's motion then pending the outcome of the Bar action against Nifong, and he did the same against in April when she renewed her request.

The New York Times has more details.

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Judge Suspends DA Mike Nifong Immediately | 3 comments (3 topical)

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Thirty years as a prosecutor! How many others? (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by OkieFromMuskogee on Mon Jun 18, 2007 at 11:45:38 PM EST

At the risk of repeating myself, I'll say again that someone needs to be looking at how many other bogus prosecutions Nifong has been responsible for. To have acted this unethically when the whole world was watching, he has surely done the same things many times before. But most of those defendants probably didn't have money for good lawyers like the lacrosse players did. They were probably low-profile cases that no one cared about.

How many innocent people did Nifong put in jail? He's been a prosecutor since 1978!

: It does make you wonder. (none / 0) (#2)
by FaulknA on Tue Jun 19, 2007 at 12:06:30 AM EST

He continued to go after these students even after indisputable evidence cleared them of wrongdoing. What gave him the idea that he could get away with this travesty? One can only believe that there are many others who have been made to suffer because of his mindless pursuit of whatever he believes is justice. I question his sanity in light of his actions in this matter, as should anyone who reads about this.

No surprise in the immediate suspension - (none / 0) (#3)
by scribe on Tue Jun 19, 2007 at 08:49:18 AM EST

Either (a) there's a NC law requring the prosecutor to be a member of the bar, or (b) the judge didn't want to run the risk of other, pending prosecutions being tossed because they were being prosecuted by a DA office not run by a lawyer, or (c) the judge decided the public reaction required him to put an end to Nifong's employment because of the disbarment.