Kathy Willens/Associated Press
New England Patriots owner Robert K. Kraft all but defeated two charges of solicitation of prostitution when a Florida county judge on Monday threw out key evidence obtained in surveillance videos and a traffic stop.
The ruling was a resounding victory for Mr. Kraft, who had refused to accept a plea deal, maintaining he did nothing illegal when he visited a day spa in Jupiter, Fla., on two consecutive days in late January. Mr. Kraft refused to pay a fine and perform community service to resolve the two misdemeanor charges because the deal would have required him to admit that the prosecutors would have won the case if it went to trial.