In a day of testy exchanges, the prosecutor relentlessly attacked Mr. Lay's explanation for Enron's collapse.

Some prosecutors have attacked use of the syndrome as a defense, arguing that the defendant embraces it as a means of staying out of prison.

In a response filed on May 15, prosecutors attacked the judge's conclusions on several fronts and said the studies he cited had "serious methodological flaws."

But prosecutors, who stand by the convictions, have already attacked Mr. Harris's credibility, citing his checkered past and questioning his sanity and motives.

Mr. Crooms broke into the suburban home around 3:30 a.m., prosecutors said, and attacked one of the sisters.

They note that before his plea, Mr. Chang faced charges of conspiracy, perjury and obstruction of justice - and that the prosecutors themselves attacked his credibility at that time.

At a hearing, prosecutors attacked the witness, William Harmon, for not coming forward until today and on his long criminal record, which dates to the early 1960's.

The White House has acknowledged that he relayed Republican complaints to President Bush and the Justice Department that some prosecutors were not attacking voter fraud vigorously.

Speaking quickly and rarely referring to notes, the two prosecutors attacked defense lawyers' efforts to raise reasonable doubts that their clients were guilty.

The prosecutor, for opposite reasons, is attacking the fine points of Mr. Chambers's statement.