DURHAM, N.C. (AP) _ Duke University has reached an undisclosed financial settlement with three former lacrosse players falsely accused of rape, the school said Monday.
Duke suspended Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and Dave Evans after they were charged last year with raping a stripper at an off-campus party. The university also cancelled the team's season and forced their coach to resign.
``We welcomed their exoneration and deeply regret the difficult year they and their families have had to endure,'' the school said in a statement. ``These young men and their families have been the subject of intense scrutiny that has taken a heavy toll.''
The allegations were debunked in April by state prosecutors, who said the players were the innocent victims of a ``tragic rush to accuse'' by Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong. He was disbarred Saturday for breaking more than two dozen rules of professional conduct in his handling of the case.
The players' families racked up millions of dollars of legal bills in their defence, and appear likely to file a lawsuit against Nifong.
The players said in a joint statement that they hoped the agreement would ``begin to bring the Duke family back together again.''
``The events of the last year tore the Duke community apart, and forcibly separated us from the university we love,'' they said. ``We were the victims of a rogue prosecutor concerned only with winning an election, and others determined to railroad three Duke lacrosse players and to diminish the reputation of Duke University.''
Also Monday, Nifong released a letter to Gov. Mike Easley saying that he planned to leave office July 13. He announced plans to resign during his five-day ethics trial last week but had not set a departure date.
A disciplinary committee of the North Carolina State Bar concluded Saturday that Nifong had lied to the court, made inflammatory statements about the three indicted players and their teammates, and withheld critical DNA evidence from defence lawyers. After some administrative steps, Nifong will have 30 days to turn in his law licence.
Nifong also sent his resignation letter to Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson, who is overseeing a pending request to remove Nifong from office.
``It is my fervent hope that this action will spare this community the further anguish a removal hearing would entail and will allow the healing process to move forward,'' Nifong wrote.
There was no word on whom Easley will chose to replace Nifong.
