Wednesday, September 05, 2007

DA Hardin asks Attorney General to consider criminal probe

The Durham Herald-Sun is reporting that Interim Durham DA Jim Hardin has requested North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper determine whether any government officials should face criminal charges in their actions in the Duke Lacrosse case. Reporters Ray Gronberg and John Stevenson had this to say.

DURHAM -- Durham County Interim District Attorney Jim Hardin has asked state officials to determine whether current or former government officials should face criminal prosecution over their handling of the Duke lacrosse case.

The request was confirmed Wednesday by Noelle Talley, spokeswoman for state Attorney General Roy Cooper.

Potential targets include anyone who acted "under the color of law enforcement," meaning former District Attorney Mike Nifong and an array of people in the Durham Police Department.

Hardin's request surfaced Wednesday, as attorneys for exonerated lacrosse players David Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann were meeting with Durham officials to discuss a potential federal civil rights lawsuit against the city...Herald-Sun

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't believe anything published in that paper.

Anonymous said...

Try to save the sate of nc now. More reason to bring in the fed's

Anonymous said...

Has to be a farce is only Herald Sun is reporting on it!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Liestoppers!

Maybe good, maybe just to distract attention.

Anonymous said...

p.s. Do you need to attend to your "Time it has taken Roy Cooper to start a criminal investigation" clock?

Anonymous said...

Note... Hardin has only asked at this point ... I vote for leaving the clock up until AGCoop actually takes some action.

will he do it???

Anonymous said...

We may be okay with a calendar for this year, maybe next, before we give up on waiting "until AGCoop actually takes some action."

;)

Anonymous said...

Perhaps I am a cock-eyed optimist, but from where I sit, it looks like things are coming together quite nicely.

Broadhed is being subject to a review. Can there be any doubt he will be canned? The timing is perfect - they waited long enough after the lacrosse debacle for all the facts to come out and so Broadhead's supporters can't accuse them of rushing to judgment, getting caught up in the hype or acting in a knee jerk reactionary way.

The same thing with the AG investigation. I thing the acting DA waited until he knew the gov was going to appoint a permanent replacement to call for an investigation. There is no way he could have effectively headed an office that was under an investigation that he called for (And the DA's office will most certainly be one of the targets of the AG investigation).

And, I watched Judge Smith render his decision at Nifong's contempt hearing. Having watched and participated in scores if not hundreds of trials, I thought it was pretty clear he believed there was a conspiracy between Meehan and Nifong; unfortunately the issue was not before him and he was powerless to make that call or do anything about it.

My prediction(s):

Within 6 months Broadhead will be gone, sweeping changes will be made at Duke, including the replacement of certain Duke profs and faculty. There will be sweeping change in Durham - including the dismissal of several public servants and criminal charges.

Patience is always a virtue. Just look at how well the rush to act served Nifong. Do I think the constant pressure by this and oher blogs is a big reason for that? No doubt. But I am not as pessimistic as many here seem to be - perhaps because I am far removed from the situation geographically and have no personal attachment. So, for what it is worth, from an outsider and lawyer who has been following the case, it looks like a big helping of justice is coming to Durham soon.

Keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE!

Anonymous said...

Patience? Just another word in legal terms that equates to "more time for shredding."

It looks as if Easley just regurgatated, and his new choice is just another Good Old Boy.

Anonymous said...

please. the person posting above making 6 months predictions is full of it; you know nothing of the people here. all of your predictions are ridiculous. if Cooper was going to charge Nifong criminally, he would have done so when he did his investigation and he would have also charged CGM, which he did not. Brodhead is in good standing with the Board of Trustees at Duke. Easley has also lost interest in the case; his appointment shows that. he has appointed Nifong's main man and chief acolyte. Moreover, he tossed the community a bone to elect whoever they want as this man cannot even run for election as he does not even live in Durham county!! Easley has done a delaying tactic and elected a place holder to uphold the status quo and will let the voters decide in the next election.