April 11, 2007 2:20PM 

# Duke University Students Are “Innocent” 

By [Tim Lynch](https://www.cato.org/people/tim-lynch) 

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The North Carolina Attorney General has just announced that the criminal charges against the Duke University lacrosse players have been [dropped](http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/04/11/duke.lacrosse/index.html) because the young men are “innocent.”

Much will be said about Michael Nifong, the original prosecutor who is now facing an ethics investigation. However, as I’ve said [before](https://www.cato.org/2007/01/10/its-not-just-about-nifong-part-i/), I think it’s a mistake to think that this case was about [one rogue prosecutor](https://www.cato.org/2007/01/16/its-not-just-about-nifong-part-ii/). The problems are more systemic than many wish to acknowledge.

##### Related Tags 

[Constitutional Law](https://www.cato.org/constitutional-law), [Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies](https://www.cato.org/robert-levy-center-constitutional-studies) 

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