POSTED: 0030 GMT (0830 HKT), April 11, 2007
All sexual assault, kidnapping and other charges have been dropped against the three Duke University lacrosse players indicted for raping an exotic dancer, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced Wednesday.
"The result of our review and investigation shows clearly that there is insufficient evidence to proceed on any of the charges," Cooper said. "Today we are filing notices of dismissal for all charges."
He added: "We believe these cases were a result of a tragic rush to accuse and failure to verify serious allegations. Based on these significant inconsistencies of evidence and the various accounts given by the accusing witness, we believe these three individuals are innocent of these charges."
...The players and Cooper blasted District Attorney Mike Nifong — who originally indicted the players for rape — for overreaching his power as a district attorney, saying the "rogue" prosecutor "pushed ahead unchecked" in this case.
"There were many points in this case where caution would have served justice better than bravado," Cooper said. "This case shows the enormous consequences of overreaching by a prosecutor. What has been learned here is the internal checks on a criminal charge — sworn statements, criminal grounds, proper suspect photo lineups, accurate discovery — all are critically important."
...Cooper's office next week will release the results of its investigation. He also proposed a state law that would give the North Carolina Supreme Court the power to remove a prosecutor from a case in limited circumstances.
Let's not limit it to North Carolina.
ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ - Lynch mobs - one win one loss
I am with you on this Rose. Sure wish this state took ethical screwups by DA's more serious.
ReplyDeleteArticulate, courageous and moral. Roy Cooper for President. Roy Cooper for Calif. AG.
ReplyDeleteIt is eeerily familiar.
ReplyDeleteDA running for election in a close race.
Event happens that DA uses during election to push through to victory.
Here, it was the Cherie Moore incident.
If Gallegos or a Grand Jury charge the officers, it will be even more familiar--
the officers attorneys would surely make a motion to recuse Gallegos because he used the case politically and has made statements that demonstrate that he could not pursue the case, and the attorney general would take over the case (just like in North Carolina). I also think that the charges would be dismissed, just like North Carolina.
Hey the one year anniversary is coming up on saturday - Paul the incompetent still hasn't done squat.
ReplyDeleteNow this is food for thought...if a case of this magnitude can't get him off of his ass...just think of what else is being flushed daily.
Daily ? How about hourly? Monday thru Friday 0830 to 1700.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet this case in S.C. is giving Gallegos a little concern. PG could find himself in a similar boat.
Good post Rose
Mike Nifong is a bad District Attorney and a disgrace to the good people who elected him. Paul Gallegos is a hundred times worse.
ReplyDeleteD.
Amen !!
ReplyDelete