News 14 Carolina reports:

DURHAM, N.C. — A defense attorney says prosecutors have dropped rape charges against three Duke University lacrosse players.

Charges of kidnapping and sexual offense still stand against the three players.

La Shawn Barber has tracked the case closely. Hot Air readers ponder the timing.

Betsy Newmark wonders how Nifong can proceed with the other charges:

[The accuser] doesn’t know now if she was penetrated. How can she not be certain as to whether or not she was raped? Especially after she was pretty graphic with her original report to the investigators about being raped both vaginally and anally. Now, she’s not so certain. Sure.

But I don’t see what Nifong gains by maintaining the charges of kidnapping and sexual assault. She will stay have to take the stand and testify as to what happened and all her former statements will still be fair game. As will the information revealed last week of the multiple men’s DNA found inside her, none of which matched the three defendants or her purported boyfriend. Her veracity and her ability to identify the men she’s now not certain raped her will still be open to cross-examination. Neither the prosecution nor the defense will be able to depend on the other stripper’s story since she has changed her story and been public about her desire to make money off the story. So, it will all come down to this alleged victim’s credibility. If these defense lawyers can’t raise a reasonable doubt from that, they should turn in their licenses.

Durham native Mary Katharine Ham weighs in: “It’s about damn time.”