While campaigning for election, Durham DA Mike Nifong conspired to hide exculpatory DNA evidence from defense attorneys and the public.
Today, at the start of new term, Nifong effectively turned the Durham County Courthouse into a bunker so he could hide from the public as he swore the two oaths of office all NC judicial office holders must swear.
Both oaths required Nifong to swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States.
No wonder he hid.
Carolina Journal publisher and blogger Jon Ham was at the Courthouse. His minute-by-minute report begins:
Durham DA Mike Nifong was indeed sworn in this morning at 8 a.m. in the Durham Judicial Building. The only problem is the building does not open to the public until 8:30 a.m. Consequently, a gaggle of upset media types were stuck outside until the ceremony was over.The rest of Jon’s account is here.
At 8:03 a.m. there was a bit of excitement when a deputy opened one of the doors and said, “Come on in, cameras in hand.” But he was shouted down by two other deputies who yelled, “Don’t let them in.”
He says he’ll have photos and video later. I’ll keep checking in. You can to at Jon’s blog, Right Angles.
Liestoppers reports:
The excuse given at the courthouse door was that a scheduling errror prevented public access to the courthouse which does not open until 8:30AM, while the swearing-in was scheduled for 8:00AM.So there’s Listoppers acting as an alert liecatcher. The rest of LS’s report is here.
Curiously, last months's swearing-in of Clerk of the Court, Archie Smith was open to the press and the public despite also taking place at 8:00AM (Monday December 4, 2006).
While it's revolting, it's also very fitting that Nifong began his new term hiding something important and lying.
Let’s keep working to get him out of office, disbarred and in jail.
4 comments:
WRAL - "I don't feel I'm part of the problem. I feel that I have assisted in revealing the problem," he said. "Durham has some healing to do, and I need to be part of that healing process."
News 14 Carolina - "The whole point of this was this was not a media event," Nifong said. "This was an event that was required of us so we could get back to work and do our jobs. The message we tried to send was this: This is 2007. We're here to do our jobs. We're not here to basically help you guys sell newspapers or press coverage."
John, funny you should say 'bunker' - I've posted that I keep thinking about Adolf & Eva tying the knot while Berlin burned & crumbled around them.
Was that the 3AD? LOL ;>)
John, it's 1pm EST, and still nothing on the H-S site about the swearing-in today. 5 hours later...
I can't wait to see what Bob Wilson has to say about that.
Bill Anderson & I both opined on DIW that the reason their website was down this AM was that all the H-S staff were invited guests to the ceremony and were all down at the courthouse! ;>)
JinC,
My video is finally up. Sorry, but had a temperamental connection to YouTube. By the way, both quotes that gprestonian mentions are on the video.
Jon Ham
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