How was Mike Nifong allowed to do what he did? Doesn't he have anyone above him who watches his actions and why did it take them so long to have charges filed against him? Shouldn't it have happened right away after he called the boys 'holligans'?
Answers:
One would hope that people in power, such as District Attorneys, will use that power wisely and fairly. Nifong didn't.
One misconception about criminal prosecutions is that there is any kind of oversight of what is done. People believe that all defendants are treated equally, that all people who commit a crime will be prosecuted, and that a prosecutor will only go after a guilty person.
The truth is more complicated than that. One reason is a simple one -- the DA prosecutes what the police discover. DA's and police are human, and many crimes will go undetected or remain unproveable. DA's also have their own beliefs about what should be prosecuted.
Another answer is more complex. A DA prosecuting a high-profile case gets his name in the paper. What does this lead to? Oprah? Larry King? Some of them want to be seen as crusaders, protectors of the people.
A DA is an elected official, and he answers mostly to the voters. As citizens, it is our job to watch their work ourselves.
The best "check" on this kind of behavior is the criminal defense bar. These lawyers, usually Public Defenders, watch what the DA is doing, and speak up when they see those big wrongs.
Just be glad it's done and quit nitpicking.
Its as simple as black and white. The accuser was black, Durham, North Carolina was predominantly black, and the accused were white. They wanted someone's head to roll, and Nifong played on this.
Are you kidding me I give North Carolina a gold star for stopping this before it ruined the lives of innocent people. In most states nothing at all would have happened except 3 boys would have gone to prison for a crime they did not do.
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