Mistrial in child sex assault case against former New York Yankees pitcher John Wetteland as jury remains deadlocked
The judge in the child sex assault trial of former World Series MVP John Wetteland has declared a mistrial as the jury remained deadlocked on Friday.
"We will move forward, whether this means it is resolved through negotiations or trial again is up to him," a prosecutor said afterward.
A Texas judge has declared a mistrial in the child sex assault case against former All-Star and World Series MVP pitcher John Wetteland after the jury deadlocked. trib.al/mXYoR1u
"A Texas judge has declared a mistrial in the child sex assault case against former All-Star and World Series MVP pitcher John Wetteland after the jury deadlocked." - Texoma's Homepage
Wetteland, 56, has been accused of having a four-year-old relative perform a sexual act on him in the master bedroom shower of his Texas home in 2004. The alleged assaults began when the accuser was four years old, and two more alleged incidents occurred later on.
After 5 hours of deliberations, jurors told the judge they were split on whether John Wetteland is guilty of abusing a child years ago. The judge ordered them to keep trying. star-telegram.com/news/local/cri…
"After 5 hours of deliberations, jurors told the judge they were split on whether John Wetteland is guilty of abusing a child years ago. The judge ordered them to keep trying." - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Despite the judge's orders to keep trying to come to agreement, the jury remained split.
John Wetteland's checkered MLB career
Wetteland's history in the MLB has been polarizing to say the least. A World Series champion and World Series MVP with the Yankees, he was one of the most dominant closers of his generation.
Throughout his playing career, Wetteland pitched for the the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, and Texas Rangers. During that time, he recorded 330 saves while racking up 804 strikeouts and posting a career 2.97 ERA. He was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2005.
While Wetteland was a force on the field as a player, his life after retirement tainted his legacy. He went on to coach for the Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals. However, Wetteland was fired from the Nationals because manager Frank Robinson felt the team "had been focusing on practical jokes instead of improving their game."
In 2009, Wettleland was hospitalized for what was called a "mental issue," in which he was reportedly depressed and contemplating suicide. In a press release, Wetteland and the Seattle Mariners said the hospitalization was due to "extremely high heart rate" brought on by high blood pressure.
While the child sex assault case remains undetermined, if convicted, the former New York Yankee could face 25 years to life in prison. Even if he is found not guilty, the damage to his legacy may be beyond repair.