Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
I was skeptical of the news reports that described Angela Corey, the special prosecutor in the Trayvon Martin case, as a no-nonsense lawyer. My skepticism was rewarded amply when on April 11 I watched her announce the second degree murder charge against George Zimmerman. From the moment she stepped before the microphones, she seemed to find inordinate glee at the center of the media carnival, and indeed her demeanor throughout her presentation was ill-fitted to the occasion, as though she simply didn’t know how to strike the appropriate tone.
And now we know she wasn’t just having a bad day.
Writing at Newsmax.com, Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz reports that Corey telephoned the law school and “engage[d] in a 40-minute rant,” threatening to sue the school and file charges against Dershowitz for “libel and slander.”
It’s rare that I find myself in agreement with Mr. Dershowitz when the subject is anything other than the defense of Israel, about which he is resolute. I am still haunted by the memory of him lending his considerable talents to the O.J. Simpson defense team, which outmaneuvered prosecutors to achieve an acquittal for a man who clearly had butchered two human beings.
But on the Trayvon Martin case I am in complete accord with Mr. Dershowitz, who among others (including me) pointed out the manifest defects in the prosecutors’ affidavit used to file the murder charge against George Zimmerman. Because Mr. Dershowitz has had the crust to find fault with Ms. Corey’s apparently casual relationship with the facts in the case, evidenced by the complete omission from the affidavit any mention of evidence of self-defense that would weigh in George Zimmerman’s favor when said evidence was known to her, she seeks to silence him through a pathetic attempt at intimidation. If what Mr. Dershowitz has written is true, Ms. Corey is not merely inept, she is unhinged. And I predict she will become more so as the case against Zimmerman comes unraveled as it surely will. She might look to the example of Mike Nifong for instruction on what not to do.
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Comments:
Oct '10
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
As with Nifong, Corey will have a very vocal "amen" corner coupled with a powerful media chorus. We can only hope that the "not merely inept" Corey is as decisively refuted as the ludicrous Nifong.
Dec '11
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
She is on an anti-self-defense crusade. George Zimmerman isnt the first person she has put away for defending themselves.
http://reason.com/blog/2012/04/25/20-years-for-standing-her-ground-against
Zimmerman and Alexander are and were prosecuted in the name of stone cold politics.
Jun '11
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Angela Corey and Mike Nifong unfortunately reflect the culture of the times in which they live. Boorish, uninteresting people of very limited intelligence (can you say Kardashian?) suddenly find themselves the object of mass media attention for just living in their own reality.
It would be nice if someone could help Ms. Corey remember that she has sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution and pursue justice for all, but unfortunately that makes for boring TV when she's so enjoying her little reality show moment.
Jun '12
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Corey obviously believes this is the path to an easy re-election. I suspect that if/when the case falls apart she'll find out it's the path to losing the next election.
That's OK, tho, she can be named Attorney General in the next Democrat administration.
Mar '11
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Once she took this job and held a press conference regarding her position, I think she became a "public figure" and thus has a much higher bar for any libel or slander suit.
Jun '10
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
"Rassssccccist," hiss the trolls from behind the pay wall.
Jul '11
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Corey will run headlong in to a wall of facts and lie, bully, and scream at them. I think it comes down to jury selection rather than details though.
Jul '11
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Guruforhire, I just read your link and I'm sickened. People like Corey should not exist. They are what is worst in humans.
May '12
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
I do wish Zimmerman did not have such a weak support network around him. Between his wife, his brother-in-law, and his lawyers ... doh!
Dec '11
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
They really are.
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
If Corey calls me to represent her in a lawsuit against Dershowitz for slander, I'll take the case. He did slander her.
Not only is there nothing "unethical" about that affidavit, but the trained ear can hear Dershowitz backing off when he starts muttering about the difference between probable cause and reasonable doubt.
Conservatives feel the need to back Zimmerman seemingly for no other reason than he held the gun, but that makes about as much sense as black people suppoting OJ due to the color of his skin.
Zimmerman damages the second amendment and stand your ground laws, both of which I support.
It's clear Martin tried to run away. Zimmerman, who labeled Martin an asshole and a punk, chased after the boy against police advice. It was Martin who then rightfully took advantage of the stand your ground law, not Zimmerman.
Zimmerman turned out to be the punk. His ego couldn't take losing the fight he started so he shot and killed the juvenile he picked on. That's not stand your ground. Martin is dead because Zimmerman can't take a punch. That's second degree murder.
Edited on June 8, 2012 at 6:41pmJul '11
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Tommy De Seno, in your ideal world you back Corey. In my ideal world a human piece of scum like her does not exist. You read the links from post #2 and tell me you back her still. Just reading them made my old homicidal urges bubble a touch for lawyers and judges that distribute evil for their own power and glory.
Dec '11
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Tommy,
Are you really so prejudiced that you are willing to live in a world where it is OK to beat and engage in deadly combat because someone did nothing more egregious than talk to you?
By your own standards you have engaged in the same libel you accuse others of.
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Doc,
I back Corey as to Dershowitz' comments regarding the Zimmerman affidavit. Don't know her from Eve beside's that.
I read what you posted and I'm not sure why you blame Corey - the problem there is mandatory minimums - a law she did not write and over which she has no control. Mandatory miimums are controversial and dangerous things. A young man from my hometown grew pot in his apartment and ended up with a prison sentence of 50 years. The judge said he didn't like the sentence, but the law gave him no discreation to do anything about it.
I can't fathom why you call Corey "scum."
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Guruforhire: Tommy,
Are you really so prejudiced that you are willing to live in a world where it is OK to beat and engage in deadly combat because someone did nothing more egregious than talk to you?
By your own standards you have engaged in the same libel you accuse others of. · 1 minute ago
Prejudice? Who am I pre-judging?
Jun '11
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Mr. Dunphy's post has nothing to do with supporting either Zimmerman or Martin. It has to do with obscure prosecutors aggrandizing themselves and enjoying a little too much their 15 minutes of fame, all at the risk of subordinating their constitutional oath.
So you take Corey's slander case on a contingency, and I'll take Dershowitz's defense on an hourly. Good luck to you.
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Colin look at any conservative Facebook page or any conservative website, and it is undeniable that Zimmerman has become the biggest fabricated cause since Joe the Plumber.
I just can't imagine why. I support guns. I support concealed carry laws. I support self defense and stand your ground laws. Zimmerman works contrary to all of it. Conservatives are supporting him for no other reason than he pulled the trigger.
Jack's attack on the affidavit I take as a support of Zimmerman. If that's wrong he can clarify for me.
I'm interested in your defense of Dershowitz. State your case as to why that affidavit is unethical (because Dershowitz backed off of that, albeit in muddied terms, soon after saying it).
Dec '11
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Zimmerman.
Every single one of your rants on this subject are dubious appeals to innuendo. You have offered nothing to the conversation except, "Zimmerman is a tool, because I mean come on, he has to be, I mean really, and thus he committed murder."
You havent posted a single thing yet on this subject, that hasnt been some form of prejudiced innuendo, and your malicious axe grinding is really over the top.
I can in fact catch up to you and ask you a question on the street without you being allowed to cave my skull in on a streets curb. Which is essentially all you have said zimmerman did, and all the evidence zimmerman did. Everything else is an assumption of character, and a desire to do harm.
Edited on June 8, 2012 at 7:04pmRe: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Tommy De Seno:
It's clear Martin tried to run away. Zimmerman, who labeled Martin an asshole and a punk, chased after the boy against police advice. It was Martin who then rightfully took advantage of the stand your ground law, not Zimmerman.
It's not at all clear that Martin tried to run away, nor is it clear that Zimmerman chased him.
Re: Ms. Corey, Meet Mr. Nifong
Guruforhire: Zimmerman.
Every single one of your rants on this subject are dubious appeals to innuendo. You have offered nothing to the conversation except, "Zimmerman is a tool, because I mean come on, he has to be, I mean really, and thus he committed murder."
You havent posted a single thing yet on this subject, that hasnt been some form of prejudiced innuendo, and your malicious axe grinding is really over the top.
I can in fact catch up to you and ask you a question on the street without you being allowed to cave my skull in on a streets curb. · 1 minute ago
If that's what Zimmerman did and Martin did I'd agree with you. But I've read every released document in this case and that's not what happened.
Your anger at me is what I'm talking about - this has somehow become an issue tied to politics and sides are forming over right wing/left wing ideologies that simply aren't supported by Zimmerman's killing of the juvenile.
Edited on June 8, 2012 at 7:08pm