What Took You So Long, Mikey?

Nifong Apologizes for Missteps in Duke Lacrosse 'Rape' Case, Resigns as Durham DA

Choking back tears on the witness stand, Durham, N.C., District Attorney Mike Nifong announced his resignation Friday after testifying about missteps he made in the Duke lacrosse rape case.

The embattled prosecutor, testifying at his own ethics trial in Raleigh, N.C., said he made mistakes in the prosecution of three Duke lacrosse players — Reade Seligmann, Dave Evans and Collin Finnerty — after an exotic dancer claimed they raped her at an off-campus party on March 13, 2006. However, he maintained he never lied to the state bar association over any facts of the case.

"To the extent my actions have caused pain to the Finnertys and the Seligmanns and the Evanses, I apologize. To the extent that my actions have brought disrespect or disrepute to the bar, to my community, I apologize," Nifong said. (TM - Michael Smerconish would call this a "crayon apology." Be a man - why not enumerate those actions while you're on the stand?)

"But I cannot admit to telling a lie I didn’t tell, and I’ll continue to defend myself against those allegations."

Seligmann, Evans and Finnerty were declared innocent of the charges earlier this year by the state attorney general, who said they had been prosecuted by a "rogue" DA.