Individual Liberty — Individual Responsibility

For those we lost, We will not forget 09/11/2001

“The task of statesmanship has always been the re-definition of these rights in terms of a changing and growing social order.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt (Commonwealth Club Address, 1932)

“Roosevelt was wrong! The principles laid down in the Declaration of Independence are the principles of individual liberty. Our unalienable rights, given to us by God are given to us as individuals. Our rights do not come from society or the government, and they cannot be redefined by politicians. The nature of these rights carries with it the implication of individual responsibility, without which we surrender them.”
— Perri Nelson, November 6, 2008

A bheil Gàidhlig agaibh?

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Nifong's Witch Hunt To End

Published Thu, Mar 22 2007 8:59 PM
Technorati Tags: News and Politics

Mike Nifong's trumped up case against the Duke Lacrosse players is about to come crashing down. Fox News is reporting:

The remaining charges against three Duke University lacrosse players originally indicted for rape may be dropped sometime within the next few days, according to a report.

Inside Lacrosse Magazine writer Paul Caulfield told FOX News on Thursday that several sources have revealed to him that the assault and attempted kidnapping charges still pending against Collin Finnerty, 19, of Garden City, N.Y.; Dave Evans, 23, of Bethesda, Md.; and Reade Seligmann, 20, of Essex Falls, N.J., will soon be dropped.

Caulfield said his sources include more than just attorneys for the defense.

"There is no case here and they will be hearing a dismissal in the coming days," Caulfield told FOX News.

Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong last year indicted the three former players with raping an exotic dancer hired to perform at an off-campus lacrosse party on March 13, 2006. The dancer, who is black, claimed that she was sexually assaulted in a bathroom in the house by three white lacrosse players. DNA was taken from all members of the university lacrosse team, except for the single black player on the team. DNA tests never conclusively proved that anyone on the team assaulted her. But DNA from other individuals was found in the accuser's underwear, among other places.

It's about time this travesty was dropped. Meanwhile, the three lacrosse players have lost a year out of their lives, and had their reputations destroyed.

Nifong is now facing ethics charges from the state bar association from, among other thing, concealing potentially exculpatory evidence that defense lawyers claim could have proved their clients' innocence.

There have been rumors that the families of Finnerty, Seligmann and Evans may be considering civil lawsuits against Nifong, Duke or the state if it turns out the accuser's story doesn't pan out and Nifong is found to be guilty of mishandling the case.

Wouldn't that be sweet justice. It still won't restore their reputations or give them back the time they've lost.

"We're going to see the tables turned on Mike Nifong in the media and in the courtroom because he still continues to defend his name," Caulfield said.

If he's found guilty, disbarment isn't enough. He should be prosecuted and put away. This has been a politically motivated case from the beginning. Mr. Nifong doesn't deserve to be in office.