After listening to two days of testimony and more than eight hours of deliberations over two days, a jury could not completely decide the fate of 35-year-old Sarah Webber, who is accused of sexually abusing a juvenile relative.
Webber was convicted of domestic assault and found not guilty of first-degree sexual assault. The jury could not come to a unanimous verdict on charges of sexual abuse by a parent and first-degree sexual abuse.
“We’re very happy with the verdict today. We’ve always believed that Sarah was innocent from day one,” defense attorney Stephanie Nethken said. “We knew that she did not do this and if the prosecutor wants to try this again, we can.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for the domestic assault conviction — a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $100.
The case was returned to the docket and is scheduled for a second trial in November. The Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office will be able to try Webber for the two charges the jury could not decide on.
The prosecution, presented testimony from three of the Morgantown Police officers that responded to the Webber home just after midnight on Dec. 23, 2018. Jurors were shown bodycam footage from those three officers — each of whom spoke to a different family member — and the detective who investigated the case.
An employee of the Monongalia County Child Advocacy Center also testified on the prosecution’s behalf. She conducted the forensic interview of victim and is the therapist for Webber’s relative who also testified for the prosecution.
The defense called Webber, who testified on her own behalf, and a friend who went out with Webber earlier in the night but was not present for any of the alleged events.
