Durham DA Wants Inquiry in Duke Lacrosse Case

Durham, N.C. — The Durham County District Attorney's Office has asked state prosecutors to investigate whether criminal charges should be filed against anyone connected with the defunct Duke lacrosse case.

The State Bureau of Investigation would be expected to handle a probe if one is ordered. Potential targets would be anyone in law enforcement involved with the case, which includes members of the Durham Police Department and former district attorney Mike Nifong.

Attorney General Roy Cooper is reviewing the request, spokeswoman Noelle Talley said.

Hardin's request in a letter to Cooper came two days before Nifong was scheduled to serve a 24-hour jail sentence for criminal contempt of court for how he handled disclosures about DNA evidence while prosecuting the case.

Three members of the 2006 Duke University lacrosse team were indicted and arrested on charges of rape, sexual assault and kidnapping after a supposed attack at a team party held in an off-campus house in March 2006.

Nifong dropped the rape charges in December. Cooper's office took over the case in January, and he dropped the remaining charges in April, saying there was no case against the three men.

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Latest Comments

You can tell from the way her story evolved, that you'd never want someone like this on a witness stand. People repeat a lie some much in their own head, that it doesn't take much for them to cross the line and belive it is true. She would prove a major waste of taxpayer money and a HUGE embarassement to the courts system and NC in general. That is why they don't want to charge her.

Builder03
September 6, 2007 11:09 p.m.

What's wrong with Jim Hardin? He's the honest guy, not the liar. Hardin is the guy who nailed Mike Peterson, and quite well, I might add.

angora2
September 6, 2007 2:12 p.m.

JIM HARDIN WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE SUPERIOR COURT AS A JUDGE, THE JOB HE LEFT TO HELP TRY AND HELP CLEAN UP THE IMAGE OF THE DA'S OFFICE. I AM SURE THAT HIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB CONSIDERING. I THINK HE WANTS EVERYTHING DONE "BY THE BOOK" WITH THIS INVESTIGATION OF THE DA'S OFFICE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT SO THAT THERE WILL BE NO MISINFORMATION FLOATING AROUND.

whocares
September 6, 2007 2:03 p.m.

Those who say let it go have never been facing 30 years or more in prison after being Nifonged and falsely accused of rape. I hope their children never experience what these boys have. This has nothing to do with wealth except if it had been my son he would still be in prison. Luckily these people had the resources to fight a corrupt system in Durham and find a partial justice.

lgboro
September 6, 2007 2:00 p.m.

"Let it go. If these kids weren't rich, none of this would still be hapening. The truth is, worse things happen in courts all over the country but no one hears about it because it isn't Duke and the kids aren't rich....enough is enough. Let it go already...what more do they want?" LoneWolf72

Actually I don't think it had anything to do with the kids being rich or from Duke. Everyone heard about it because it was three white kids supposedly raping a black girl and sadly anything racial is blown up out of proportion and always will be. Regardless miss Magnum, Nifong, and anyone else who misconducted the case should be punished. They knowingly broke the law and something needs to be done or it will happen again.

x3trig
September 6, 2007 2:00 p.m.