Posted on 08/15/2006 2:41:50 PM PDT by abb
DURHAM, N.C. -- A cab driver who has supported an alibi offered by one of the three Duke lacrosse players charged with rape had his own court appearance Tuesday for a larceny charge.
Moezeldin Elmostafa, 37, appeared briefly before a Durham County District Court judge who set a trial date of Aug. 29. Prosecutors also changed the charge against Elmostafa to aiding and abetting misdemeanor larcency.
Elmostafa was arrested in May after he surfaced as a potential alibi witness for Reade Seligmann, one of three players charged with raping a woman at an off-campus party the night of March 13.
The 2003 warrant accused Elmostafa of stealing five purses worth about $250 from a Durham department store. Elmostafa denies the charge, and has said he helped store security locate a woman after he picked her up from the store and drove her home. The woman later pleaded guilty to larceny.
Durham prosecutors said in May the warrant for Elmostafa's arrest was discovered in a routine background check of witnesses in the Duke lacrosse case.
Mostafa has said Seligmann, of Essex Fells, N.J., called for a ride at 12:14 a.m. on March 14, and was picked up five minutes later. The defense has argued those times help establish that Seligmann left the party without having enough time to participate in the 30-minute assault described by the accuser. Seligmann's attorney has also presented cell phone, ATM and dorm keycard records to help establish that timeline.
(Excerpt) Read more at dwb.newsobserver.com ...
Ping
Elmostafa has already paid more than that for his legal representation and loss of work for these ridiculous court appearances. Why wouldn't they just let the guy pay restitution, like they did Kim Roberts Pittman? Oh, she didn't pay it did she? ;-)
yikes
the only graceful exit for Nifong now is a heart attack
Explain to me please how this can happen if the case is closed?
I know---Nifong.
I'm hoping he gets a good criminal attorney and then gets a fair hearing in front of a good judge. Oops, that won't happen in Durham County! Well, maybe he will get lucky and get a visiting judge from another county. I would like to see Nifong tortured after this.
Is this considered a lesser charge?
RE: Nifong - this is one black-hearted SOB.
I don't want him to have a heart attack.
Not being gracious. I just don't want the SOB to have an out gracious or otherwise :-)
He started this crap. He needs to hang around for the finale. (Why am I hearing William Tell's Overture in my mind right now?)
as for me, I'm hearing the Jaws theme song...
I hope to God the Friends of Duke set up a defense fund for this poor guy. Nifong is beyond vindictive.
What did the woman who committed the larceny get?
So,
He had to pay bail.
Give an attorney a retainer.
Pay by the hour today.
Pay by the hour next hearing.
Pay by the hour for legal work and prep by his attorney.
When people say "let the jury decide" when talking about the Duke case, they forget--It isn't just the Duke case. Not many people have the resources those families have.
This abuse is costing him money, taking him away from earning a living, and ruining his reputation.
By the time the jury decides, it is too damned late.
I don't know if it is a lesser charge but the charge before was misdemeanor larceny; now it is aiding and abetting misdemeanor larceny. Maybe the misdemeanor larceny charge means he would have had to physically steal the purses while the aiding and abetting means he was secondary to the crime - he didn't physically steal the items but helped her get away. Maybe Jezebelle can answer that question for us.
Does anyone know if Elmostafa knew Hawkins (I believe that's the name of the lady who stole the purses) prior to the crime?
DOES ANYONE STILL THINK NIFONG WILL DROP THE CASE ??????
They just do NOT pursue three year old misdemeanors in Durham.
I suspect the woman that has already pled guilty to this crime (Hawkins) was squeezed by Nifong and Linwood. She's probably changed her tune and now I look for her to be a state's witness.
Isn't it funny how that works?
---- 250 bucks versus Kim's $25,000.00
LOL!! That works!
Yes, this is a lesser charge.
It was originally misdemeanor theft of 250 bucks
Now, it's aiding and abetting that theft (misdemeanor larceny).
UNBELIEVABLE !!!!!!
Nifong could F'ing care less about Public opinion.
.
mark for me and thanks to you for the ping.
I am drawing on memory.
I think it has been said she was just a fare. Wasn't her daughter with her?
Took her to the mall and waited while she shopped.
She said he was not involved.
Hess's thanked him (think it was written) for his help.
I am going to have to wade through all of the old threads to refresh my memory.
Nifong is F'ing scary---and I hate that word!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you know her first name?
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