Under Watch: District Attorney Mike Nifong
Under Watch:
North Carolina District Attorney Mike Nifong, charged with ethics violations by the North Carolina bar for making misleading and inflammatory statements to the media about the Duke lacrosse athletes under suspicion of sexual assault of a stripper (reported in the top story of the Thorburn Addiction Report, April-May 2006). Nifong was behind in his reelection campaign until he brought rape charges against three members of the Duke University lacrosse team. As columnist, social commentator and economist Thomas Sowell writes, “…this case was the salvation of his career, by enabling him to win the black vote with inflammatory charges against white students accused of raping a black woman….”Nifong dropped the rape charges after the head of a DNA lab testified that while the lab found DNA from other men on the stripper, none was from the Duke students”and Nifong, who knew this months ago, failed to disclose this to the defense. Nifong is forging on with charges of kidnapping, which would keep the focus off Nifong, who as Sowell points out could then claim “he had some basis to prosecute in this case”by persuading the students to plea bargain down to minor penalties. The extraordinary accusations, which may prove to be a disgusting instance of alcoholic prosecutorial abuse, is reminiscent of the infamous 1912 case recounted by author James Graham in which the alcoholic New York City District Attorney Charles Whitman had police lieutenant Charles Becker executed for a crime he did not commit. As I said in Drunks, Drugs & Debits, “Once an addict achieves a position of power, he is out of control and cannot help himself.”Therefore, the behavior itself is an excellent indicator of alcoholism.
Nevada Gov.-elect Jim Gibbons, accused of assaulting a cocktail waitress three weeks before the election. Chrissy Mazzeo, 32, accused Gibbons of pushing and propositioning her near a restaurant where “the two had been drinking with friends.”Mazzeo made three 911 calls that night, saying she had been assaulted by the married five-term congressman. Gibbons denied the charges, which were dropped due to lack of evidence. I would submit that the behavior of one or the other, if not both, is likely best explained by alcoholism.
Actor Jamie Foxx, confronted by security guards during his 39th birthday celebration at a posh Beverly Hills hotel at 3 a.m. When asked to quiet down after hearing complaints from other guests, Foxx told the guards, “It’s my birthday, and I’m going to party. Don’t you know who I am?”Although only one incident, it is an excellent sign of an inordinately large sense of self-importance, which along with a lack of concern for the rights of others is strongly suggestive of alcoholism.