Life After Nifong

The North Carolina State Bar has filed a complaint alleging ethics violations by the former Durham County District Attorney.

The complaint charges that the DA directed an investigator to make misleading statements to prison authorities in order to obtain visitation records of three inmates and engaged in ex parte contacts with a judge to obtain the records. The complaint alleges that the DA sought confidential information that she was not entitled to.

The complaint further alleges that the DA filed a complaint against a judge and “made repeated statements about the honesty, integrity and fairness of [the judge].” The complaint contends that the DA falsely or recklessly called the judge corrupt.

ABCNews had this report.

This isn’t the first time the Durham district attorney’s office has been embroiled in controversy in recent years. Cline replaced Mike Nifong, who resigned in disgrace after prosecuting three Duke University lacrosse players falsely accused of rape. Nifong was later disbarred.

Governor Beverly Perdue named a retired Superior Court Judge A. Leon Stanback, Jr. as the interim Durham DA earlier this year.

Cline has appealed her removal and she continues her fight to gain access to emails belonging to Judge Hudson. There cannot be a special election to replace her until she has exhausted her appeals.

(Mike Frisch)