Duke Prosecutor to Resign

Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong breaks down at his own ethics trial
By Caroline Zimmerman,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 16, 2007 9:57 AM CDT
Duke Prosecutor to Resign
Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong testifies during his North Carolina State Bar trial in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, June 15, 2007. Nifong faces several ethics charges tied to his handling of the debunked Duke lacrosse rape case. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, Pool)   (Associated Press)

Mike Nifong broke down in tears on the stand at his ethics trial yesterday as he announced his intention to resign as Durham DA. Admitting that he got "carried away" in the case against the three "innocent" Duke University lacrosse players he prosecuted for rape, Nifong apologized to the defendants and their families for causing unnecessary "pain."

Nifong admitted making misleading public statements when the case first turned heads, but when it came to allegations that he intentionally withheld exculpatory DNA evidence, the DA stuck to his guns, attributing the incident to a bureaucratic slipup. "I will go to my grave being associated with this case," Nikong told the panel, his voice shaking. (More Duke rape case stories.)

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