SIDNEY — A verdict of a hung jury in a rape case against Aaron Maurer, 27, of Botkins, was read during a hearing, Thursday, Sept. 7, in the Shelby County Common Pleas Court.

The 12-person jury, who returned from their deliberations Wednesday night, found Maurer not guilty of rape, but could not reach a conclusion on whether he was guilty of a lesser charge of sexual battery. Judge James Stevenson declared the proceedings a mistrial.

The prosecution has yet decided whether to retry the case on the lesser charges. Maurer had previously been released on his own recognizance, and the court continued that while the prosecution makes its decision.

Maurer was being tried on a charge of raping a 16-year-old girl on July 15, 2016. The jurors who heard the case were selected from a pool of 50 Shelby County residents and heard testimony during the two-day trial this week. Testimonies were made by the teen, Maurer, law enforcement, forensic experts and family members.

The conflict in the case stemmed from a lack of evidence about whether consent was given on the night of the incident, with both parties maintaining opposite positions throughout the trial.