Duke Decision Could Be Announced Wednesday

April 10, 2007 — -- The North Carolina Attorney General's office has finished its interviews and could announce a decision on whether to drop all charges against the three former Duke students as early as tomorrow in a Raleigh news conference, ABC news has learned.

The three lacrosse players were initially accused of raping an exotic dancer just over a year ago.

The state Attorney General took over the case in January, after Durham prosecutor Mike Nifong recused himself under pressure, claiming a conflict of interest because the State Bar Association charged him with misconduct in the case.

Two respected assistant attorneys general, James Coman and Mary D. Winstead, took over the case and re-interviewed many, if not all the witnesses in the case before the decision, which is expected to be announced as soon as tomorrow.

The case against Colin Finnety, Reade Seligmann and David Evans, the three Duke lacrosse players, has been heavily criticized.

Seligmann produced a credible alibi, and the accusing witness changed her story about what happened on March 13, 2006 several times.

Her back-and-forth testimony led to the dismissal of the rape charge in December of last year. But the young men remain charged with first-degree kidnapping and first-degree sexual offense.