In such a case, you have a real problem (tm)... Don't try to "rm" the
damaged directory. Remove everything in the directory that can be safely
deleted without causing more trouble, then 'unlink' the directory. Only
root can unlink a non-empty directory. The fsck after a restart in single
user mode with the drive in RO mode will bitch about stuff left dangling and
proceed to put them in lost+found. From there, you may or may not be able
to delete the remaining cruft. And you may end up with some lost drive
space in the deal.
NOTE: You _can_ get a filesystem so fubar'ed you will need a disk editor to
have any hope of repairing the damage. (And, yes, I have gotten a FS thusly
fubar'ed and fixed it after several _hours_ of rebuilding directory
structures.)
--Ricky