If I'd written all the truth I knew for the past ten years, about 600 people - including me - would be rotting in prison cells from Rio to Seattle today. Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism. - Hunter S. Thompson (1939 - 2005)Today's items:
William B. Anderson: Why I Write on the Duke Lacrosse Case - So here I am. The Duke case is nearly nine months old, Nifong’s "evidence" has been shredded by attorneys and the blogs, yet the case continues toward trial because government courts are not about truth or justice, but rather are a plaything for prosecutors. It is obvious that truth does not matter either to the prosecutors or the judges, but I also know that truth serves as sunlight. I think of what I am doing as shining a light on cockroaches, something that makes them scatter...
LieStoppers discussion: Why I Write...
TalkLeft: Prof. William Anderson...
John in Carolina: Ashley’s "integrity" - [Plagarism = Using text and other intellectual property developed by someone else while claiming it is your original work] ...With the exception of a slight rewording in the first sentence, every single bit of the Herald Sun’s story is lifted verbatim from the Duke News press release....
related:KC Johnson: Keystone Kops - [Durham PD is for rent and other problems] ...According to Police Department statistics, there were 85 rape charges filed in 2005. Yet Nifong’s office reported disposing of less than half that total in the 2005-2006 fiscal year. This discrepancy suggests that many rape claims fell through the cracks...
Herald-Sun (12/2): Duke's trustees create new department
Duke News (12/2): Duke Elevates African and African American Studies to Department
Forum topics of note:
LieStoppers: A Poetic Downward Spiral - There once was a hack named Nifong, Desperate to prove he belong’d, Telling lies every day....
Yesterday (12/3):
Neff, Blythe, Niolet; News & Observer (front page story):
DA's critics ask bar, feds to intervene - In the war that is the Duke lacrosse case, Mike Nifong's fierce fight will not end with the trial. Durham's district attorney will face a barrage of attacks on the federal and state level from foes who are determined to have Nifong investigated, punished and disbarred for his actions in the rape case against three Duke University lacrosse players...
News & Observer (sidebar with above article):
Complaints against Mike Nifong - Public record requests to the governor and attorney general uncovered at least 17 complaints concerning Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong to the N.C. State Bar, which licenses and regulates lawyers. The complaints accuse Nifong of saying too much to the news media and of mishandling the investigation...
related:John in Carolina: Interesting USA Today story - more about one of Collin Finnerty’s attorneys, Michael Cornacchia...
LieStoppers (12/4): Mike Nifong's detractors in the Hoax want him punished for forcefully pursuing transparently false charges
KC Johnson: Checks and Balances
LieStoppers discussion: DA's Critics...
Free Republic: DA's critics ask bar, feds to intervene
TalkLeft: N&0 Article...
KC Johnson: Sunday Roundup [excellent potpourri of hoax issues]
related: DBR - KC's latest
