Ex-Durham official out of jail on contempt charge
Posted December 21, 2010 4:36 p.m. EST
Durham, N.C. — A former Durham official was released from jail Tuesday after serving four days of a 10-day sentence for contempt of court.
Jackie Wagstaff, a former member of the Durham County Board of Education and the Durham City Council, was jailed last Friday during jury deliberations in a criminal case against Crystal Mangum, the Durham woman who falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of rape in 2006.
Superior Court Judge Abraham Jones heard Wagstaff mutter "this is ridiculous" and found her in contempt. Wagstaff, who was also fined $200, said she wasn't referring to Jones or the court proceedings.
The jury convicted Mangum of three counts of child abuse and one count each of injury to personal property and resisting a public officer in connection with a domestic dispute in February. Jurors deadlocked on an arson charge against her, and Jones declared a mistrial.
