Mistrial declared for man accused of child abuse

A county Circuit Court judge declared a mistrial early Thursday morning in the trial of a 26-year-old Edgewood man accused of rape, child abuse and related sexual offenses.

No decision on retrying the case will be made until after the holidays, an assistant state's attorney said.

"Any decision will be made with the best interests of the children in mind," said M. Elizabeth Bowen, who prosecuted Nicholas Victor Lee, an unemployed construction worker.

The Circuit Court jury had deliberated eight hours following the seven-day trial before returning to the courtroom at 2 a.m. Thursday with an apparent verdict.

A guilty verdict was announced, but when the court clerk began polling jury members, the first juror would not reply guilty to the first count of rape in the second degree.

Following a brief bench conference, Judge Maurice W. Baldwin declared the mistrial.