AUBURN, Neb. (AP) – Charges against a man accused of raping a Peru State College student and suspected in the disappearance of another have been dropped.
Eight Nemaha County charges, including sexual assault and weapon use, against Joshua Keadle were dropped Wednesday following a hearing on new evidence in the case. Keadle’s trial was to have begun Monday.
The hearing centered on 38 pages of Facebook messages from the alleged rape victim to Keadle. County Attorney Louie Ligouri argued he should be able to see Keadle’s replies and asked for the trial to be postponed. Following a recess, Ligouri’s request to dismiss the charges was granted.
Neither Ligouri nor Keadle’s defense attorney could immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
Keadle still faces rape charges in Dodge County.