Duke Rape Prosecutor Disbarred

The North Carolina disciplinary panel unanimously found Nifong guilty on most of the 19 ethics and professional misconduct counts brought against him by the State Bar.

Saturday, June 16, 2007
United Press International

A North Carolina disciplinary panel Saturday found prosecutor Mike Nifong guilty of misconduct and disbarred from practicing law for his handling of the Duke lacrosse team rape scandal.

In a proceeding carried live TV, the panel unanimously found Nifong guilty on most of the 19 ethics and professional misconduct counts brought against him by the State Bar. Nifong sat stoically in the Raleigh courtroom as the verdicts were read.

The prosecuting attorney from Durham, N.C., was found to have withheld evidence favorable to the defense in the Duke lacrosse case and then lying about it. He also was found to have repeatedly and intentionally misled the media and, therefore, the public about the case.

The former Duke lacrosse players were exonerated by North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper in April.

Nifong, through his attorneys, has said he regrets some of his statements to reporters and does not dispute the players' innocence but denied committing intentional ethics violations. He also had offered to resign his post.