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Nifong guilty of criminal contempt

DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Former Durham County, N.C., District Attorney Mike Nifong was convicted Friday of criminal contempt and sentenced to spend one day in jail.

Superior Court Judge W. Osmond Smith III ordered Nifong to report to the Durham County jail at 9 a.m. Sept. 8 and stay there until 9 a.m. the following day, The Charlotte Observer reported.

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Smith could have sentenced Nifong to up to 30 days in jail or a $500 fine, the newspaper said.

Nifong took the stand in his own defense Friday, the second day of a hearing into his conduct of an investigation into charges that three Duke lacrosse players sexually assaulted an exotic dancer at a party on the school campus.

Nifong was accused of lying to the judge when he assured him last year that all DNA evidence had been turned over to the players’ lawyers. Nifong testified Friday that he thought the statements he made in court about DNA evidence were true, The Raleigh News and Observer reported.

Nifong stepped down in disgrace after the lacrosse players were cleared of the sexual assault charges.

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