Prosecutor in failed case against Sen. Ted Stevens kills himself

NPR has learned that lawyer Nick Marsh took his own life over the weekend.

Marsh was one of the lawyer's who prosecuted former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens for corruption, a prosecution that failed amidst charges of misconduct. The Attorney General dropped that case, saying there were problems with sharing evidence with the defense.

The judge in the case appointed a special prosecutor to investigate whether the government had broken the law. Separately, the Justice department's Office of Professional Responsibility launched a probe of its own.

The investigation had been going on for more than a year and a report by the Special Prosecutor is expected in a few weeks. Marsh's lawyer, Bob Luskin, says he thought his client would not be charged. But apparently the strain of the investigation was just too much.

Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division released this statement:

"Our deepest sympathies go out to Nick's family and friends on this sad day. The Department of Justice is a community, and today our community is mourning the loss of this dedicated young attorney."