[Carol Lin, Cnn Anchor:] Another look at the results of the Super Bowl murder trial right here in Atlanta. After four weeks of trial and testimony, two suspects, Joseph Sweeting and Reginald Oakley, yesterday in court, as you can see, were declared not guilty of murder charges. Ray Lewis, the Baltimore Ravens football star, faces a misdemeanor conviction of obstruction of justice. And so far no other suspects have been named in this case. Joining us now is Roger Cossack, CNN's legal analyst, taking a look at the aftermath of this case. Roger, was this just a bad case to begin with or poorly prosecuted?
[Roger Cossack, Cnn Legal Analyst:] Well, I think the answer to that is A and B, yes on both counts. I think it was a bad case to begin with and I'm afraid I have to criticize the prosecutor in this case, this was a very poorly prosecuted case. And if you want to look at irony, you find out and you look back and you say: You know, the only one that ended up with any conviction in this case was Ray Lewis, who ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor obstruction of justice, and testifying against that other two. That was the deal the prosecutor felt he had to make, with a week to go in the trial, to even try and get a conviction against the others. And look, he failed on both counts.
[Lin:] That's right, and Roger, as we can see, Ray Lewis, back at practice in Baltimore, with the Baltimore Ravens. So what happens if the police continue this investigation and they find more suspects, this, once again, goes back to trial? How this case was prosecuted, does that taint any future case to be prosecuted in Fulton County?
[Cossack:] Well, first of all, you have to remember there's double jeopardy. You can never come back and try any of these three again for anything having to do with this murder. They've been on trial, they were found not guilty, that's double jeopardy. And Ray Lewis was dismissed, so he can't be tried again. Now there...
[Lin:] But in the case of new suspects?
[Cossack:] No, if you come up with new suspects, those people, of course, could be tried and the same evidence could be used. But, you know, it's hard to believe that they could try anybody with the evidence that we saw, at least, presented in court. Now, of course, that was only presented toward the two people that were on trial. But, you know, those witnesses were not very good. Apparently they at least the prosecution gives the implication that they said one thing when they were having meetings with the prosecution but when it came time to get up on the witness stand, put your hand on the Bible, and swear to tell the truth, they couldn't identify anyone and never could put the murder weapon in anybody's hand; including their star witness, Ray Lewis.
[Lin:] Yes, well, you saw the news conference, yesterday with Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard. It sounded like sour grapes. He was asked if he felt that two men two guilty men were set free. He said yes, and he's been criticized now by Sweeting's attorney for saying something that was completely inappropriate and insulting to the jury. Would you agree?
[Cossack:] Well, you know, I'm a poker player and after every hand, there's always one statement that's made. You know, the winners tell you how they did it and the losers cry deal. So I think it is a little sour grapes. I mean, look, if he he just didn't have any evidence. I don't know where this guy was going with this case. I don't know what he was told in private. We have to assume that he must have thought he had some evidence. But I must tell you, if I was a citizen of Atlanta, and the mayor of Atlanta, I think I'd want to be talking to this prosecutor and say: Now tell me exactly why you spent all this money with apparently very little evidence to prosecute these three guys. I'd want to know.
[Lin:] And I wonder if he would talk then about all the pressure from a high profile murder investigation right after the Super Bowl here in town.
[Cossack:] You know, prosecutors aren't just supposed to cave in to pressure, that's just the way it is.
[Lin:] Yes, well said. Thank you very much Roger Cossack.
[Cossack:] All right.