Tracks Of Their Tears

By Melissa August, Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Daniel Levy, Ellin Martens, Michele Orecklin, Julie Rawe, Alain Sanders and Josh Tyrangiel

THE CRYING GAME One of four New York City officers on trial for shooting Amadou Diallo (Sean Carroll, right) wept on the witness stand last week. Getting misty is a hit-and-miss tactic, as our history of trial tears shows:

DEFENDANT LEONA HELMSLEY

CHARGE Tax evasion

WHEN THE TEARS CAME On stand, says she's "ashamed," mumbles "sorry, sorry"

VERDICT Four years; served 18 months

[DEFENDANT] JOAN COLLINS

[CHARGE] Sued for return of a $1.3m book advance

[WHEN THE TEARS CAME] Sobs and admits she's "not an Ernest Hemingway"

[VERDICT] Kept the cash

[DEFENDANT] ERIK AND LYLE MENENDEZ

[CHARGE] Murdered parents

[WHEN THE TEARS CAME] Recount years of humiliation and physical abuse by their folks

[VERDICT] Life without parole

[DEFENDANT] JOHN LESKO

[CHARGE] Went on "kill-for-thrill" spree

[WHEN THE TEARS CAME] Tells of hellish childhood

[VERDICT] Sentenced to die

[DEFENDANT] LORENA BOBBITT

[CHARGE] Sliced off husband's penis

[WHEN THE TEARS CAME] Weeps while telling of rape and an abortion she didn't want

[VERDICT] Acquitted

[DEFENDANT] JEAN S. HARRIS

[CHARGE] Shot diet-doctor boyfriend four times

[WHEN THE TEARS CAME] Breaks down and says she "never intended to harm" him

[VERDICT] 15 years to life; served 12 years