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Former NY Yankees star John Wetteland — months after a jury failed to reach a verdict during trial — is now free and clear after prosecutors moved to drop all felony aggravated sexual assault charges against the former All-Star closer.
According to court records obtained by TMZ Sports, all three charges were dropped against 56-year-old Wetteland after the D.A. failed to retry the 1996 World Series hero who was accused of forcing a four-year-old child, a relative, to perform sexual acts on him between in his bedroom between 2004 and 2006.
Wetteland always adamantly denied the allegations and pled not guilty at trial.
As we previously reported, Wetteland was arrested in January 2019 and hit with multiple child sexual abuse charges. He was facing 25 years to life in prison if convicted. JW finally went to trial in late 2022, but a jury of 12 couldn’t reach a verdict — guilty or not — and a judge declared a mistrial on September 2.
Following the hung jury, a juror told local media they were split 10-2, and although the juror didn’t explicitly say the 10 votes were “not guilty,” the juror indicated most wanted to acquit.
Of course, MLB fans are familiar with the 3x All-Star closer. Back in 1996, when the Yankees came back from two games down against the Atlanta Braves, Wetteland was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.
Due to the rise of young relief pitcher, Mariano Rivera, Wetteland went to the Texas Rangers in 1997 … and stayed in Arlington until retiring after the 2000 season.
He was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame in 2005.
Despite being arrested and charged, Wetteland was never found guilty.