I do think that the internal investigation was more likely to lead to the truth than civil discovery. I'm not sure if that that is naive or cynical. The city council was pissed off at the BS report that the police put out, and threw it back at them and asked for the real truth. I think civil discovery will just get the BS.

This has never been my experience (that internal investigations are more honest), and frankly, if any party is actually still covering things up while in litigation, they *should* be sued -- that's a big deal. The damages will be much, much higher if they conceal evidence.

Nifong was disbarred; why sue the city (which can't pay to pave the fucking streets)? They have already settled with Duke, too, so they've had one payday already. It seems ugly and greedy and political. It may not look political from a distance, but down here there's this ugly, in some cases racist and right-wing, "our boys are innocent angels" thing.

Well, we don't know the terms of the Duke settlement, but being accused of rape on a national stage for a year? And someone conspiring to keep that happening? That's INSANE. The city is responsible for something like that, and whether or not other people are racist is irrelevant. The google results will never clear up, these kids will always live under the taint of suspicion. They can't really get that year back when everyone in the country thought they raped someone. That may not be worth $10MM a person, but it's worth something, and I wouldn't call litigating that claim ugly or greedy.

You don't think they've been incredibly publicly vindicated? Also, how is it the city of Durham's fault that the entire country knew about the case? If the case had been only publicized locally, wouldn't the wrongful accusation and actions of Nifong and (maybe) the police been equally unjust? Isn't the publicity irrelevant in a lawsuit against the city?

Hec, Emmett's quite the jock. I'm impressed.

Hec, Emmett's quite the jock. I'm impressed.

He is. But I pointed out that all the jocks on Nickelodeon teen shows are dim or bullies so he shouldn't emulate them.

Though he is also getting A's and B's at school this year and is reading more than ever. (New fav: Carl Hiassen's Hoot.) Plus best big brother ever, so he's really doing well. Couldn't really ask for more from him.

OMG HOME. So so glad. So so much TV to watch.

Went to Target today and spent some time giggling at the ridonkulous dog costumes. Why don't they make those for big dogs?

Oh, right. Because big dogs can kiiiilll you. Kill you dead.

You don't think they've been incredibly publicly vindicated? Also, how is it the city of Durham's fault that the entire country knew about the case? If the case had been only publicized locally, wouldn't the wrongful accusation and actions of Nifong and (maybe) the police been equally unjust? Isn't the publicity irrelevant in a lawsuit against the city?

Well, two things. One, in general you can be held responsible for the foreseeable results of your actions. Arguably the publicity was foreseeable-- especially if the concealment was going on after the national story came out. Two, you take your victim as you find him-- if you cause a car accident with four victims rather than one, it's not unfair to make you pay for all four victims even though you had nothing to do with putting them in the car.

ION, people in other places may not have heard about the controversy with the taxis being required (?) to have credit card machines and GPS in them. I rode in one of the cabs that has it! The credit card machine was incredibly handy, but the GPS was creepy -- it knew when we changed lanes! Weird.

My RE agent had that turn-by-turn thing in her car. Creepy, but also really cool.

In Philly all the cabs had card swipey machines in the back seat - so much better than Chicago where they dial it in on this little machine that takes forever, and never without a dirty look. If they'll even take cards at all.

I loved the GPS unit we had in our rental car in Hawaii. I think I might like CC machines in taxis--I'm always worried if I've forgotten cash.