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Associated Press - November 18, 2009 10:14 AM ET
PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) - A mistrial has been declared in the sexual assault case against a former Watson Chapel School District teacher because of a lack of jurors.
Forty-5-year-old Robert Michael Gatlin of Rison is charged with six counts of second-degree sexual assault against female students.
He has pleaded not guilty and is free on $10,000 bond.
The mistrial was declared Tuesday after nearly half the potential jurors were dismissed after saying they had heard or read about the case or knew at least 1 of the alleged victims.
Prosecutors plan to retry the case in January.
The allegations involved girls at Coleman Intermediate School in the spring and fall 2008 semesters. Gatlin was first suspended by the district then fired Nov. 10, 2008.
Information from: Pine Bluff Commercial, http://www.pbcommercial.com
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