NC Bar files complaint against Nifong
Fox News reports the North Carolina Bar has filed an ethics complaint against Durham prosecutor Mike Nifong.
Details to follow.
UPDATE —
Fox News:
RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina State Bar filed an ethics complaint Thursday against Duke lacrosse prosecutor Mike Nifong, accusing him of breaking four rules of professional conduct when speaking to reporters about the sensational case.
The punishment for ethics violations can range from admonishment to disbarment.
Among the rules the district attorney was accused of violating was a prohibition against making comments “that have a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accuser.” [This is wrong. See the correction below. — Ed.]
ADDED —
Smoking Gun has the complaint here. And contrary to the Fox News report quoted above, the complaint alleges Nifong “made extrajudicial statements that had a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused,” not the accuser. [Emphasis added.]
The North Carolina Bar opened its investigation in March, well before the revelations of Nifong’s most egregious misconduct. Mike Nifong should be disbarred, and then imprisoned. And with his colleagues now in hot pursuit, I trust one or both of these shall come to pass.
Since it’s the season for predictions, I predict that Mr. Nifong will get only a slap on the wrist. Odds of his losing his job = 50%. Odds of disbarrment = 10%. The lawyers club doesn’t care what the membership does, as long as it doesn’t do it ‘in the street, and frighten the sheep’.