Yesterday, Mr. Edmondson released a statement saying, "The board and I have agreed that it is in the best interest of the company for new leadership to step forward." The statement made no reference to, and offered no apologies for, his previous misrepresentations.

In announcing the departure, Mr. Roberts seemed to call into question the accuracy of a statement issued by the board last Tuesday, the day The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, RadioShack's hometown newspaper, reported that the unaccredited bible college from which Mr. Edmondson claimed two degrees said he had not graduated. The paper also reported that the Baptist minister-turned-executive was facing a trial on his third arrest on charges of driving while intoxicated.

"The RadioShack Corporation board of directors is aware of the matters raised in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram article and has previously given due consideration to them," said the statement issued then. "The board of directors reaffirms its support for David Edmondson in fulfilling his role as chief executive officer."

But in the announcement yesterday, Mr. Roberts said the board knew "some, but definitely not all" of the issues that were raised last week.

"What we thought we knew then, we did not know," he said in a conference call with reporters. "In retrospect, I wish we had not made that statement."

He declined to specify which facts had not been known.

Mr. Edmondson, in an interview with The Star-Telegram on Feb. 10, had conceded he did not have two degrees, and that the degree he said he did have was not a bachelor's degree, as he had claimed in the résumé he gave RadioShack when he was hired in 1994. But he insisted he had one degree, a Th.G., a theology degree that the college, now known as the Heartland Baptist Bible College, awards after three years of study. The newspaper said the college said its records showed he had attended for two semesters, but did not graduate.

But last Wednesday, the company issued a statement from Mr. Edmondson admitting, "I clearly misstated my academic record and the responsibility for these misstatements is mine alone." The board then announced an investigation, which was canceled yesterday after he resigned.