Watch the money: North Carolina officials better keep their eye on civil lawsuit

Right now, the only people who seem to really have any reason to worry about Mike Nifong and the fallout from the Duke Lacrosse alleged rape case are the police, the city, the county and the man himself.

The civil lawsuit filed by the now-cleared players is only directed for the moment at those directly involved with the accusations that led to months of problems and media hype.

But that doesn’t mean that the rest of the state should not keep a wary eye on where this goes — and who is going to pay what could end up being a pretty hefty tab if the players continue their pursuit of legal relief.

This mess originated in Durham, but Nifong, as a county prosecutor, was acting in part as an officer of the court. That means there are state implications as well.

And if this case continues to get ugly — and Nifong’s bankruptcy claim is honored — someone is going to be left with a bill to pay.

And if it is the city of Durham, the county of Durham or any other official body associated with North Carolina, there could be some fallout that could spatter on other agencies as well.

Hopefully, in the end, insurance will cover the damages and an amicable resolution can be reached.

If not, someone needs to be keeping a close eye on what is next — and what the rest of the state needs to learn from this fiasco.

Published in Editorials on January 17, 2008 11:20 AM