DA Ousted Over Duke Case

Durham County District Attorney Michael Nifong was hoping that a minor thing like disbarment wouldn't prevent him from keeping his job for another month. Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson has come up with a better idea. Citing "willful misconduct in office and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice," Judge Hudson is moving to suspend Nifong, albeit with pay.

North Carolina state lawmakers are getting in on the act, too. They are planning to pass a bill that would allow the governor to remove Nifong from office entirely. He was disbarred for breaking over two dozen rules of conduct in his dealings with the Duke lacrosse rape case. Among other things, Nifong was accused of pursuing the case for political gain regardless of the lack of evidence, and making inflammatory statements.

Duke recently announced a financial settlement with David Evans, Collin Finnerty, and Reade Seligmann, the former members of the lacrosse team who were finally found innocent in the case that started last year. The case was a nationwide media frenzy and threatened to damage Duke as well as the justice system of North Carolina.