Published online October 19, 2007, 4:00 p.m. MST
At a press conference on Friday afternoon, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced that all charges against New Times, its owners, editors and writers have been dropped and that special prosecutor Dennis Wilenchik has been dismissed.
The shocking move came a day after Phoenix New Times published a story highlighting a grand jury subpoena demanding New Times hand over an unprecedented amount of reporter notes, personal information about Web site visitors and other intrusive materials.
"We tried to make a modest stand for our readers, our reporters and our Constitution," said Michael Lacey, co-owner and executive editor of New Times/Village Voice Media. "Sometimes law enforcement prevails in their view of the Constitution; sometimes the Irish prevail in theirs."