41.   Leone argued Zobel had used the wrong standard in reducing the charge.

42.   Local phone companies want the charges reduced gradually, with new competition doing part of the work of bringing them down.

43.   Many of the most recent cases in Chelan County have ended in dismissal or plea bargains in which prosecutors reduced charges.

44.   Most said they are deciding whether to reduce charges on a case-by-case basis.

45.   Most cases were dismissed, and the rape charge was reduced.

46.   Nonetheless, moves to reduce those charges and, in effect, to cut welfare and other benefits are widely unpopular.

47.   On Sunday, the government agreed to reduce the charges to one felony count of having illegally gathered and retained nuclear weapons secrets.

48.   On Monday, Middlesex Superior Court Judge Hiller B. Zobel reduced the charge to involuntary manslaughter and sentenced Woodward to time already served.

49.   On Tuesday, Zobel will hear defense motions to overturn the verdict, order a new trial or reduce the charge, perhaps to manslaughter.

50.   Prosecutors said that when that was not possible -- which they said would be in relatively few cases -- they might have to drop or reduce charges.