In lacrosse news, Syl Jones insists that "something" happened at the lacrosse party, but never defines what "it" was, and also overlooks one of the main contradictions in the case: Kim Roberts said she was with Crystal Mangum for all but five minutes of their time at the house. Like a lot of people, Jones seems to glom onto a couple of ideas and tries to force everything to fit them. That doesn't work very well. Not that it has stopped the New York Times from trying it.
Steven Gillers is certainly correct when he says this:
âThe very same facts that made this case attractive to a prosecutor up for election and a huge publicity magnet â race, sex, class, lacrosse stars, a prominent university â also led to his undoing when the case collapsed and his conduct was scrutinized in and beyond North Carolina. If the same case had involved three poor men, instead of defendants with private counsel and families that supported them financially and publicly, we would not likely see a disbarment, in North Carolina or anywhere. Iâd be surprised if there were even serious discipline.â
There's no question that people with money can hire better lawyers and have a better chance to prevail in a trial. But on the other hand, anyone who has been on trial will surely tell you that they wanted the very best attorney they could hire. Who wouldn't? As long as the free market applies to the legal profession, it's hard to see how this can change.
But many people, we think, are overlooking something pretty basic: injustice was turned back and we were reminded of the power of the state to abuse even people who are supposed to be wealthy and powerful (for at least one of the families, that stereotype is simply not true - although middleclass, they are of fairly modest means and probably could not have sent their son to Duke without an athletic scholarship).
Defeating injustice and exposing state-sponsored thuggery should be celebrated. Instead, in some quarters, it's condemned.
In a somewhat more interesting note, there is a sense now that a lot of people would like to revisit Nifong's earlier cases.
And finally, the endless political war in Durham which may have made the whole mess inevitable in the first place rages on in the letters to the editor section of the Durham paper. Is it not possible, after all the problems, trials and scandals in Durham, for people of good will to come together, for their own interests and the interests of the icty at large, and declare a truce?