October 25, 2004

Analysis of moves Marsh & McLennan, world's largest insurance broker, must make to survive New York State criminal probe into charges it cheated clients; imminent resignation of chairman and chief executive Jeffrey Greenberg is seen as only first step; Marsh's independent directors are reportedly already running company and deciding its legal strategies; are working on package of reforms to show Atty Gen Eliot Spitzer that they are serious about changing corporate culture; have little choice but to follow Spitzer's lead; photos (M)

Anthony Tommasini reviews gala concert ushering in James Levine as music director of Boston Symphony; photo (M)

In week before presidential election, TV and radio talk shows plan to inverview every conceivable talking head and celebrity with even the slightest political credentials; photo (M)

In the few seconds it took for a Detroit receiver named Reggie Swinton to dash, wide open, through the middle of the field in the critical waning minutes of the fourth quarter Sunday, the veneer of invincibility that the Giants' defense had worn like a shield fell away. The hole that Swinton found in the Giants' defense was far from the only one of the day, just the most important. On third-and-7 with 6 minutes 53 seconds left, and with the Giants within a point and desperately needing a defensive stop, Swinton found himself soaring through a deep route with no defender within 5 yards. As he gathered in a 20-yard pass from Lions quarterback Joey Harrington, putting the ball on the Giants' 34, whatever hope was left in Giants Stadium leaked out the exits.

Uproar over former New York State Sen Guy J Velella's early release from prison prompts revisiting of 1998 case of Jeffrey McDonald, sheriff's deputy in Livingston County, whose early release also caused outrage and started investigation of that county's Local Conditional Release Commission; inquiry found that panel had conducted meetings without quorums, failed to keep records and freed inmates ineligible for release; found that its de facto chairman, Thomas Tremer, made about 30 of 55 decisions by himself during late 1990's; McDonald, who served 2 months of 18-month sentence for hindering investigation of drug case, was returned to prison, and all four members of Livingston commission were replaced (S)