Nifong pleads not guilty to contempt

Former prosecutor Mike Nifong pleaded not guilty Thursday to criminal contempt charges stemming from his failure to turn over complete DNA testing results during the now-discredited Duke lacrosse rape case.

If found in contempt, Nifong could face up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.

As Durham County district attorney, Nifong led the investigation into a woman’s allegations that she was raped at a 2006 lacrosse team party where she was hired as a stripper. He won indictments against three players but eventually recused himself, and state prosecutors dropped all remaining charges, saying the players were victims of a “tragic rush to accuse.”

Nifong’s attorney, Jim Glover, said Nifong believed he was being truthful when he told the judge he had given the defense all the DNA testing results.

Nifong was disbarred in June for more than two dozen violations of the state’s rules of professional conduct during his prosecution of the lacrosse case.