Nifong 'Picked on the Wrong Families'

The mother of one of the Duke University lacrosse players accused of sexually assaulting a stripper hired to dance at a team party says district attorney Mike Nifong "picked on the wrong families" and will pay for it. The comment came during a CBS '60 Minutes' interview scheduled to air Sunday, Jan. 14.

In a interview with Leslie Stahl, family members of Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and David Evans expressed outrage when they found out that Nifong knew about exculpatory DNA evidence as early as April 2006, before the players were indicted and later filed a court motion in which he stated he was not aware of any potentially exculpatory evidence.

"You felt like someone hit you with a baseball bat. It was almost too much to bear, as we sat there," Kathy Seligmann, Reade's mother, told Stahl.

When asked what she would say to Nifong, Rae Evans, the mother of David Evans, told CBS, "I would say with a smile on my face, 'Mr. Nifong, you've picked on the wrong families … and you will pay every day for the rest of your life.'"

DNA Expert Admits 'Big Error'

During the '60 Minutes' episode, Dr. Brian Meehan, a forensic expert hired by Nifong to test DNA evidence in the case, admitted that he made a "big error" in not reporting immediately that the only DNA found on the accuser was from five men, none of whom were Duke lacrosse team members.

"It was an error in judgment on my part. It certainly was a big error," said Meehan. "We haven't done that before. In retrospect, I should have done a better job of conveying that information."

He said that he turned over the DNA report to Nifong in mid April last year, a month after the team party and before the three players were indicted.

See Also:
Expert Admits "Big Error" In Duke Case

Background:
Duke Lacrosse Team Rape Scandal

Crime and Punishment Forum:
Discuss The Duke Case