Nifong wants to auction guitars

Durham, N.C. — Former Duke lacrosse prosecutor Mike Nifong wants permission to auction three of his collector guitars.

Court documents, filed Wednesday, list him as wanting to sell a Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster, a Martin D-41 and a PRS Custom 24.

According to bankruptcy proceedings in February, two of the instruments are worth about $5,000.

If the motion to auction the guitars is approved, the auction will take place Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. at 361 Ja-Max Road in Hillsborough.

Nifong filed for bankruptcy in January, listing a debt of $180.3 million. Almost all of that is estimated damages from pending civil litigation that stems from the 2006 case in which, as Durham district attorney, he had three Duke University lacrosse players indicted on false accusations of rape.

Nifong listed David Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann, as well as three other members of Duke University's 2006 men's lacrosse team who filed a separate federal lawsuit, as unsecured creditors. His filing estimated each is owed $30 million.

More than 30 other lacrosse players from that team were listed as creditors at $1 each.

Nifong's bankruptcy filing meant he was temporarily protected from litigation, but a judge ruled earlier this year that the former Duke players could proceed with their cases against him.

Special prosecutors from the North Carolina Attorney General's Office cleared Evans, Finnerty and Seligmann of all wrongdoing in April 2007.

Attorney General Roy Cooper declared them innocent victims of Nifong's "tragic rush to accuse."

Nifong was later disbarred for his handling of the case and spent a night in jail for lying to a judge.