Recent Articles

Seligmann Talk

March 20, 2012 00:40

For DIW readers in Atlanta, Reade Seligmann will be giving a talk tomorrow about the case. Details here.

Cline Continues Anti-Hudson Crusade

March 14, 2012 21:13

As seen in the document below, Tracey Cline is continuing her crusade against Judge Orlando Hudson.In this instance, the former DA has requested mediation to address her demands for full access to "the email of [Hudson's] assistant, Peggy Bullock and himself." [comma splice in original] A Cline...

News & Notes

March 13, 2012 14:15

Some recent items that crossed my desk:Last Sunday’s N&O featured a penetrating piece by Andy Curliss—featuring new reporting about a case about which, it seemed, we knew most everything—analyzing the rise and fall of ex-DA Tracey Cline.Among other nuggets, Curliss recounts a conversation...

Nifong, Cline, and Durham's Legal Culture

March 04, 2012 19:17

Durham County is the sixth most populous county in the nation’s tenth most populous state. That a county of this size and significance—we’re not talking about Divide County, North Dakota here—has seen its chief prosecutor removed from office for ethical improprieties twice in the past half-decade...

Updated: Cline Removed from Office

March 03, 2012 05:10

Former Durham County DA (and ex-Nifong ADA) Tracey Cline has been permanently removed from office, marking the second time in a half-decade in which a Durham County District Attorney has been removed as chief prosecutor for ethical misconduct.Live commentary: Judge Hobgood is reading his opinion,...

Analyzing Judge Hobgood's Order

March 02, 2012 20:33

The removal from office of former Durham district attorney Tracey Cline occurred in a tightly-reasoned 14-page (single-spaced) order by Judge Robert Hobgood. The judge took seriously the Cline lawyers’ First Amendment claims—but ultimately rejected them, and in a way that seems almost certain to...

Judge Marcia Morey, Roving Character Witness for Wayward Prosecutors

February 28, 2012 04:55

The Cline hearing has come to a conclusion for the day (see below: final argument will occur Wednesday), but the most striking aspect of the day came in the appearance of Durham Chief District Court Judge Marcia Morey as a pro-Cline witness. As the N&O reported, Morey "testified Monday that...

Cline Hearing

February 27, 2012 22:10

Update, 4.54pm: The hearing has now come to a close. The judge says there will be no meeting tomorrow; Wednesday will have closing arguments; and the case might be decided by Friday.Update, 4.23pm: Now on the stand, as a pro-Cline character witness, is Judge Marsha Morey. This is the same Judge...

Legal Updates

February 20, 2012 20:52

Cline hearing: While things haven't gone particularly well for the emotionally unstable suspended DA, Kerry Sutton's interrogation style doesn't exactly set the world on fire, either. (At one point, Judge Hobgood said that Sutton's line of questioning--on the inaccurate timestamp machine--didn't...

Cline Requests (And Receives) Delay

February 15, 2012 00:18

[Update, Monday, 3.23pm: The N&O reports that the beginning of the Cline removal hearing has been moved to next Monday, Feb. 20th; Cline herself will begin her defense a week from Friday. Clarifying the mystifying language from her previous filing, the suspended DA informed the court that she...