Prosecutors have dropped all charges against three former Duke University lacrosse players accused of sexually assaulting a stripper at a party.
North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper said the athletes were innocent victims of a "tragic rush to accuse" by an overreaching district attorney in Durham, N.C.
More than a year ago, a stripper accused the athletes of raping her at a team party. Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong indicted David Evans, Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty last spring.
Those charges were dropped in January; Today, the charges of kidnapping and sexual assault were also dropped. Nifong, who removed himself from the case and was charged with ethics violations in January, still faces possible disbarment.
The former Duke athletes held a separate news conference, at which David Evans thanked his family, and his lawyers, for their support. "It's been 395 days since this nightmare began," Evans said, "and finally today, it's come to a closure."
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