The retrial of a Springdale man, Arjel Gold, accused of rape and robbery, was reset Tuesday because of a pending appeal.
Gold’s previous trial, in June, ended in mistrial after jurors could not agree on a verdict. The appeal contends the case against Gold should be dismissed because the judge sent a bailiff several times to check on the jury’s progress while they were still actively deliberating. The defense has argued the jury should have been allowed to continue deliberating and jurors may have been coerced by the court’s actions.
“We had a jury that was on the verge of acquittal,” Deputy Public Defender Tony Pirani said.
Gold faces two felony counts of rape and one count of robbery. Washington County Circuit Judge William Storey reset the trial to June 17-19.
Gold was charged in an Oct. 9, 2011, incident in which a woman claimed he sexually assaulted her between two duplexes on Adrian Avenue in Springdale. Gold said the sexual contact between the two was consensual.