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."