Editorial ; `Rogue' DA Pays a Price

Jun 19, 08:58 PM

Current Headlines: Mike Nifong's reputation and his career are in tatters. The former Durham, N.C., district attorney resigned last week and not a moment too soon - on Saturday, he was disbarred and he is facing the possibility of criminal charges.

Nifong's transgressions are by now well-documented. His blathering to the media about the thoroughly concocted Duke "rape" case was bad enough. Most damning was when he withheld potentially exculpatory evidence from the lawyers of the three Duke University lacrosse players who stood accused of raping a young stripper at an off-campus party, in a case Nifong exploited shamelessly for political gain.

No man is beyond forgiveness, but Nifong will certainly never get it from the accused or their families. The DA had a million opportunities to stop this runaway train. Instead he stepped on the throttle. For such a brazen assault on the principles of our criminal justice system, no punishment seems too severe.

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