Nifong held in contempt, gets day in jail

Mike Nifong, the disgraced former Durham County district attorney, was held in criminal contempt of court in Durham for lying to a judge when pursuing rape charges against three falsely accused Duke University lacrosse players.

Superior Court Judge W. Osmond Smith III sentenced Nifong, who has been stripped of his law license and has resigned from office, to one day in jail. He had faced as many as 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.