Ex-N.Y. AG Schneiderman won't face assault charges

Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Prosecutors said Thursday they won't pursue assault charges, from accusations of four women, against former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

Schneiderman resigned from the post in May after The New Yorker published the women's claims he physically abused them, which spurred a six-month investigation.

Nassau County, N.Y., District Attorney Madeline Singas, who Gov. Andrew Cuomo appointed as special prosecutor, announced the decision Thursday. She said the women are credible, but cited legal challenges with the case.

"I believe the women who shared their experiences with our investigation team," she said. "However, legal impediments, including statutes of limitations, preclude criminal prosecution."

Schneiderman apologized to the women Thursday.

"I recognize that District Attorney Singas' decision not to prosecute does not mean I have done nothing wrong," he said. "I accept full responsibility for my conduct in my relationships with my accusers."

Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood said Thursday she will return to her former post of state solicitor general when she leaves office at the end of the year. She held the post from 2007 until her appointment as attorney general in May.

"It's been an incredible privilege to serve as New York's 66th attorney general -- and I look forward to continuing to serve the people of New York as I resume my former role of solicitor general in January," Underwood said in a statement.