Wilson's actions shape the case

Linwood Wilson has been Mike Nifong's go-to guy.

In May, he orchestrated the arrest of Moezeldin Elmostafa, the taxi driver who attested to Reade Seligmann's alibi.

In July, he came up with a new statement from Kim Roberts, the second dancer at the March 13 party. When first contacted by police, Roberts said the rape allegations were a "crock."

According to Wilson, that account changed July 24, when Roberts and her attorney visited Nifong. Roberts was facing possible prison time on a probation violation.

As Roberts' attorney met with Nifong, Roberts sat in a conference room. When Wilson popped in to say hello, Roberts volunteered new details, saying for the first time that Crystal Gail Mangum was in the bathroom with players.

"I need to tell you guys that I have thought about the time frame that night," Roberts said, according to Wilson's account. "I had originally said I wasn't away from her [Mangum] for more than 5 minutes but after thinking about it and what all I did it was more like 15 minutes or maybe a little more.

"...When I got inside I went into the master bedroom where some guys were watching TV and I could hear her [Crystal] in the bathroom with some guys, you know the door was open slightly I started to go in but one of the guys stepped in front of me. I told her I was leaving you know, through the door, and I turned around and went back to my car."

Roberts declined to comment Tuesday, saying the case was over.

Damage control

In the fall, Wilson sought to mitigate damage from a video broadcast on "60 Minutes" in October. The video showed Mangum doing an athletic pole dance March 25 at the Platinum Club in Hillsborough.

The images of her dancing just days after an alleged rape were damaging. Nifong had told a judge that Mangum was so traumatized in April that she couldn't speak.

Wilson's records show that he tracked down the club owner and manager; both witnesses gave Wilson sworn statements -- and both later changed them.

Club owner Victor Olatoye said Mangum hadn't worked since February 2006. Olatoye later checked his records and amended his statement; Mangum had danced in March, he said, and was signed in as a dancer March 25.

Club manager Yolanda Haynes remembered that day. In a Nov. 16 interview, Wilson showed Haynes an 8-second video clip of a woman dancing at the Platinum Club. Wilson tried to convince Haynes the dancer was a woman named "Tickles."

Haynes said it was Mangum dancing March 25, according to her sworn statement given to defense lawyer Bill Thomas.

Haynes' statement also says that Wilson pressured her to change her account of Mangum's bizarre behavior of March 11, two days before the lacrosse party.

Haynes said Mangum made an unwanted pass at a female customer, went to a back room, took off all her clothes and passed out. As Haynes and others helped carry her to a car, Mangum vomited and the employees dropped her on the gravel parking lot. Haynes said this could have caused the bruises and scratches on Mangum's feet and legs noted at the Duke Hospital emergency room.

Wilson repeatedly told Haynes that she was wrong and that he had a video to prove Mangum wasn't at the Platinum Club on March 11. "Although I was never shown the video tape by Investigator Wilson, I did not believe he would lie to me," Haynes wrote. She signed her original statement without reading it.

Later she amended her statement and swore the incident transpired March 11.