06/16/2007: [Soon-to-be former] Durham County DA Mike Nifong–in a last-ditch effort to save his legal career–has finally offered to resign amidst a deluge of crocodile tears.

He is now attempting to tear a page from the Clinton playbook, apologizing for the consequences of his actions rather than the actions in question.

Fact is, he intentionally withheld exculpatory evidence that clearly exonerated the Duke lacrosse players. He refused to accept verifiable alibis from Seligmann’s lawyers. (While any prosecutor would be right to be skeptical of such evidence, it would be appropriate–obligatory–for a prosecutor to evaluate its veracity.) He used the media to orchestrate a character assassination of the three defendants in spite of what he knew about the DNA evidence.

One must question his rush to judgment. Given that he was in the midst of a re-election campaign, pandering to the black community by frivolously accusing three white Ivy-leaguers of raping a black woman scored some political points for him.

Given that he played the race card in accusing–falsely–the lacrosse players, one could perhaps consider if Nifong should be prosecuted for violating federal civil rights laws. After all, he trod all over the civil rights of the Duke lacrosse team by piling on a racial motive that exposed them to civil rights prosecution.

(That the North Carolina AG declared them innocent–rather than not guilty–is hardly insignificant. Otherwise, the three players would still be in jeopardy in the event a race pimp like Jesse Jackass Jackson decided to pursue the matter).

His lack of regard for civil rights cost a lacrosse coach his job, three players their reputations and hundreds of thousands of dollars, and scarred an entire team beyond any shame they deserved.

Disbarment would be too light a punishment for Crocodile Nifong.