DENTON, Texas — A Texas judge declared a mistrial on Friday in the child sexual assault case against former MLB pitcher John Wetteland.
A Denton County jury told the judge three times that it was split, Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
Wetteland, 56, was accused by a relative, according to The Dallas Morning News. The child said the pitcher who played for four teams over a 12-year career in the majors forced him to perform a sex act three times when the child was 4, according to the newspaper. The alleged incidents occurred between 2004 and 2006.
The jury of nine men and three women deliberated for nearly eight hours, according to the Morning News.
Wetteland, who testified in his defense during his trial last week, was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, the Star-Telegram reported. He played for the Texas Rangers from 1997 to 2000 and is a member of the team’s Hall of Fame, according to the Morning News.
The three-time All-Star faced 25 years to life in prison if convicted, WFAA reported.
According to court documents, Wetteland was arrested in January 2019 on charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 in Denton County, according to the television station.
Wetteland also played for the New York Yankees (1995-96), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1989-91) and the Montreal Expos (1992-94), according to Baseball-Reference.com. He is the Rangers’ all-time leader in saves and won a World Series title with the Yankees in 1996.
Wetteland faced 25 years to life in prison if convicted, WFAA reported.
It was unclear Friday whether prosecutors would pursue a second trial, the Star-Telegram reported. Defense attorneys declined to comment.