Arizona publisher drops poisoning claims against ex-wife

By FELICIA FONSECA
Associated Press

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona newspaper publisher who repeatedly claimed his ex-wife poisoned him has dropped lawsuits against her ahead of a trial that was scheduled to start this week. Joseph Soldwedel sued Felice Aspiranti amid a bitter divorce after police found no evidence of his claim that she tried to kill him with a heavy metal once used in rat poisoning. Prosecutors declined to file criminal charges. Soldwedel also accused Aspiranti of defamation, and she countersued. As Thursday’s trial date neared, Soldwedel agreed to drop his claims and Aspiranti dropped hers. A Yavapai County judge signed off on the deal last month and said the lawsuits cannot not be refiled.