News
Jurors Deadlocked In Shifflet Trial
By: Megan Moseley
Posted on:
After almost 12 hours of deliberations, the jury in the trial of a Glouster man accused of sexually molesting five young girls says they're deadlocked.
Thomas Shifflet,76, is being charged on five separate counts: one count of rape, three counts of gross sexual imposition and one count of sexual imposition.
Athens County Common Pleas Judge Michael Ward instructed the jurors to continue deliberations and to tell the court if a unanimous verdict is unattainable.
Shifflet will face 26 years and 45 days in prison if he is found guilty on all counts.
This is week three of the trial. After two weeks of testimonies from alleged victims who were between the ages of three and 12 at the time of the incidents, the prosecution put its case to rest followed by the defense who did not call upon a single witness.
Jurors went back into deliberations for the rest of the afternoon.