That Night at Duke

But they did. Though the accuser wanted to go ahead with the case, she kept contradicting herself, the attorney general said. Only the woman's apparent sincerity kept the prosecutors from bringing some kind of action against her for false testimony. Last week Mark Simeon, who also handles press inquiries on her behalf, told NEWSWEEK that she had just had a baby—and that her parents were "disappointed" that the case was dropped. Nifong, who faces possible disbarment for making misleading statements, publicly apologized to the players. Looking hugely relieved at a press conference last Wednesday, Evans, Finnerty and Seligmann expressed hope that the system would be reformed to stop runaway prosecutors. (Attorneys for the three have not said whether they plan to sue Nifong, but they haven't ruled it out.)

That night, says Seligmann's mother, Kathy, "I had the first good night's sleep I had had in a year." Her son noted that "the first thing I did, I don't know if I was doing it intentionally or not, but I woke up and I just smiled."

With Jonathan Bloom

© 2007