Nifong found guilty of ethical violations

NY Times:

A disciplinary hearing panel found Michael B. Nifong, the Durham County district attorney, guilty today of ethical violations arising from his pretrial statements and handling of DNA evidence while pressing a false accusation of sexual assault against three former Duke University lacrosse players.

Six of the charges involved “dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation,” the most serious of the accusations against Mr. Nifong.

The three-member panel now enters a penalty phase in the five-day ethics trial, which could result in Mr. Nifong’s suspension or disbarment later today.

...

In closing arguments, Doug Brock, attorney for the North Carolina State Bar, the state agency bringing the case, said, “From his very first involvement in this case, Mr. Nifong weaved a web of deception, which continued up to this hearing.”

Mr. Brock called the prosecutor “a minister of injustice” who had hurt the Duke lacrosse players, their families, real victims of sexual assault, and the reputations of lawyers, prosecutors and the justice system.

Mr. Brock said Mr. Nifong had “immediately embarked on an unprecedented local state and national media barrage” with loaded words like “reprehensible,” “unconscionable” and “deep racial motivation.” And he said he had hidden evidence showing at least four unidentified males had left DNA on the accuser’s body and clothes, but none of the lacrosse players.

...

It should be noted that the NY Times and its Editorial Board could be charged with some of those violations of the rights of the defendants. Also members of its sports staff pitched in to the lynching of these players. No one should also forget the misconduct of the Duke faculties "Gang of 88." Then there were the so called civil rights groups who also participated in the lynching of these players' reputations.

He has been stripped of his law license.