DURHAM, N.C. — The prosecution team in the Mike Peterson case is described by some in the courthouse as fire and ice.
District Attorney Jim Hardin is the "ice" in the combination. He has been Durham's district attorney since 1994. The Duke graduate and Durham native only tries one to two cases a year, but he scored convictions in many cases -- most recently, the Timothy Blackwell case. The even-tempered district attorney has the respect of many of the lawyers he takes on in court.
"Whether the case is going well for him [or] whether it's going badly, the jury is not going to know," defense attorney Ken Lockner said.
"It's as if you're winning all the time. I call it the poker face," defense attorney Butch Williams said.
"He's got the great straight face. He's calm. He doesn't get his feathers ruffled," Lockner said.
Assistant District Attorney Freda Black, the "fire" of the pair, is the color in the courtroom, and she said she has a flare for the dramatic.
"Sometimes I refer to litigators as actors and actresses. It's sort of legal acting," she said.
"Watch her face and you'll know how it's going for her," Lockner said.
The Campbell University law school graduate has been trying cases in Durham for 12 years. Courtroom observers said Black gives it her all and has a reputation for having an uncanny ability of knowing when to go for the jugular.
"She's going to fight you every step of the way," Williams said. "What I call the X factor is Freda who can get as cantankerous as [Peterson's defense attorney David Rudolf."
Prosecutors In Mike Peterson Trial Seen As 'Fire & Ice' Combination
- Reporter: Julia Lewis
- Photographer: Don Ingle
- Web Editor: Kamal Wallace
Copyright 2009 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
0 Comments
-
- Funeral held for slain Fayetteville girl
Updated Nov. 22 10:40 p.m. | Slideshow |
- Coupon queen dishes on Thanksgiving meal deals
Updated Nov. 22 3:18 p.m. |
- Clouds, rain moving in to end the weekend
Updated Nov. 22 8:43 p.m. - Varsity Theatre to reopen on holiday weekend
Updated Nov. 22 10:53 p.m. |
- Sarah Palin to have dinner with Rev. Billy Graham
Updated Nov. 22 2:36 p.m.
- Funeral held for slain Fayetteville girl
- Most Viewed Slideshows
- 2009 WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas Parade
Nov. 21, 2009 - Funeral for Shaniya Davis held in Fayetteville
Posted Nov. 22 5:56 p.m. - Pet Photos | November 16 - November 22, 2009
Nov. 20, 2009
- 2009 WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas Parade
Photo Spotlight
-
Bands, marchers in holiday paradeChoose your group to watch their performance in the 2009 WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas Parade.
-
Web only: Complete 2009 WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas ParadeWatch the parade in its entirety from the comfort of your computer any time.
-
Search for missing IRS refundsThe Internal Revenue Service released the names this week of more than 100,000 taxpayers who have not received their 2009 income tax refund.
-
North Carolina unemployment ratesView an interactive map with county unemployment numbers.
-
A year of N.C. Drought MapsView a time lapse animation of drought conditions during the last year.










STORIES
VIDEOS
SLIDESHOWS

Welcome to GOLO, where WRAL.com visitors can comment on stories and create profile pages, blogs and photo galleries.
You must be a registered WRAL.com user to use these tools. Click here to register or log in.