Hutchison aides are free

PROSECUTORS dropped charges against two former aides of Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and backed off a threat to release grand jury testimony against her.

Mrs. Hutchison was found innocent last Friday of using her previous office as state treasurer for political and personal purposes.

``It would not be fair to prosecute only the subordinates,'' said Darla Davis, Travis County assistant district attorney.

Mike Barron, former deputy treasurer, had been accused of telling Treasury workers to delete files showing they did campaign work on state computers. David Criss, a former policy and planning director, was accused of raising campaign funds using a state computer on state time.

The dismissal Tuesday ended all pending indictments from the eight-month investigation.