States Refuse to Join U.S. in Microsoft Settlement

State prosecutors in the Microsoft antitrust case refused to sign on to a settlement between the company and the Justice Department that several legal analysts and Microsoft rivals yesterday labeled a stunning triumph for the software giant. After a tense day of discussions, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Charles James failed to persuade the coalition of attorneys general from 17 states and the District of Columbia to sign on to the agreement, sources said.