Pajamas expose Nifong

Early this morning DA Mike Nifong got up, dressed, drove with his wife to the courthouse, and was sworn in in private while media and the public were locked outside.

Nifong later assured media and the public it wasn’t his fault they were locked out.

But, like so much Nifong says, that wasn’t true.

Pajama media folks quickly moved into action, and helped expose Nifong’s full-frontal, naked lie.

WRAL had reported:

District Attorney Mike Nifong, under fire for his handling of the Duke University lacrosse case and public statements he has made about the investigation, was sworn in for his first four-year term early Tuesday out of the public eye.

Nifong insisted he didn't make the call to keep out the media or the public from the ceremony, but said he scheduled it for 8 a.m. so his staff could go straight to work afterward without dealing with the media.

Durham County Sheriff Worth Hill, whose office runs the courthouse, said it wasn't his call either -- it's just that the building doesn't open to the public until 8:30 a.m.

Well, that all seemed simple enough.

But when a serial liar is involved, few things are simple.

Citizen journalist KRD Durham alerted readers at Liestoppers Forum that a Durham County Sheriff’s Captain had contradicted Nifong.

The Captain said Nifong had made the call to lock out media and the public.

LS checked KRD Durham’s report. It stood up.

So LS moved the report to its main page. KDR reported:

"Man, Tivo is one of the greatest inventions…

"When asked who made the call to keep the press out, Nifong replied, “I don’t know that there was such a call.”

Then a reporter tries to clarify, “But it wasn’t you?” Nifong replied, “There’s no reason for me to make such a call, I scheduled it at 8:00 knowing full well the courthouse opened at 8:30.”

"Then the sheriff’s deputy is interviewed, Capt. Bill Wrenn, “I went up and asked did they want to let anyone in the building, and I was told no.”

"Anthony Wilson (wtvd11 reporter) then asks, “Who told you no?”

"Capt. Wrenn replies, “I asked Mr. Nifong.”

You can check what KDR reported by viewing and listening to Carolina 14's video.

Message to KDR: Great catch.

To KDR and LS: Great teamwork.

To Mike Nifong: You shouldn't lie.

To readers: Part of the importance of KDR and LS's work has to do with the fact that many news editors now monitor "the Duke lacrosse blogs." They'll know that what KDR and LS spotlighted is somewhere in the AP story that will cross their wires tonight.

Some editors may choose to ignore what KDR and LS reported but in the morning they won't be able to tell blog-savvy readers they didn't know Nifong had told a lie about ordering the courthouse locked.

Back to KDR and LS: Your pajamas look mighty nice tonight.