The Honorable Kenneth "Don't-let-the-press-bite-us" Titus had a little come-to-Jesus meeting with the defense lawyers and prosecutors in the Duke lacrosse case this week.

The subject of the closed-door session -- publicity -- brings to mind one of my sons' favorite songs from the group The Black Eyed Peas.

It goes:

"Shut up

Just shut up Shut up shut up shut up

Shut it up, just shut up

Shut up

Just shut up Shut up shut up shut up ..."

My sons delight in this song because "shut up" is a phrase we don't use in our home.

For lawyers, shut up is something they don't do.

Let's just say Judge Titus' warning is a weeeee bit late.

In the weeks after a woman working as an exotic dancer first reported being raped by members of the Duke lacrosse team, District Attorney Mike Nifong gave dozens of interviews. We in the press ate it up.

(Of course, now you can't get a word out of the guy with a can opener.)

Since then, the defense attorneys have made up for lost air time, pitching their own versions of events and chastising Nifong with every other breath.

I smiled when I saw that Joe Cheshire, chief spokesman for the defense, seemed a bit, well, defensive about the judge's admonition. No wonder.

Cheshire has been like the cheeseball at the office Christmas party when it comes to Duke. Talk about the lacrosse case, and Cheshire always seems to turn up.

I wrote a column about his remark, at a news conference this spring, that this case is not about race. When he shot me an e-mail message in reply, I posted it on my blog. Heck, I thought he would want me to.

I later removed the note at Cheshire's request. He said I had violated his trust.

This from a guy who plays the media like a Stradivarius.

Don't get me wrong. I like Cheshire. If I were accused of murder, I'd call him first.

But a guy with a silver tongue isn't paid to keep his mouth shut.

Ironically, holding one's own counsel has its perils too.

Just ask soon-to-be-former Durham Police Chief Steve Chalmers, who has weathered murders and gang warfare in the City of Medicine with a Calphalon finish only to draw raw criticism for his reticence on the Duke lacrosse case. Last week, Chalmers announced that he will be stepping down in 18 months.

Finally, don't even get me going on Durham County Commissioner Lewis Cheek, who can't decide whether he is running against Nifong as an independent.

His supporters -- some of whom used to be firmly in Nifong's camp -- raised the money, rounded up the requisite signatures and put the campaign on the map.

But now that Cheek's name is on the ballot in November, he's not so sure he wants to be a candidate after all.

Just like Titus' warning, it's a bit late for that.

Apologies to songwriter Richard Berry, but:

"Lewis, Lewie, oh, oh baby you gotta run now."

And you thought Barry Saunders was the only one who could mess with song lyrics.

I know, I know:

"Ruth, just shut up."