E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSThe all-buzz, no-bang trial of Zumba prostitution defendant Mark Strong eased to a slow grind Tuesday as Judge Nancy Mills decided to halt the trial pending an appeal of her decision to dismiss 46 counts against him.
Mills decided not to proceed with the remaining 13 charges against Strong, 57, after a morning hearing, York County Superior Court director of court information Mary Ann Lynch told NBC News in an email.
All of the 46 misdemeanor counts dropped by Mills last week were invasion of privacy charges related to allegations that Zumba instructor Alexis Wright videotaped herself having sex with clients.
Oral arguments in the appeal will be held Feb. 13, according to a scheduling order filed Tuesday.
The 13 remaining counts include promotion of prostitution and conspiracy to promote prostitution. Strong has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him.
Strong has been accused of helping Wright, 30, run a prostitution ring out of the dance and exercise studio she operated in the town of Kennebunk, Maine. Wright has been charged with 106 counts including charges of engaging in prostitution. Wright has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and is expected to go on trial later this year.
Accused Zumba pimp trial begins in disorder
The judge also decided to stay jury selection on Tuesday, a process that has taken far longer than was expected.
“This jury panel is here through the end of February,” Mills told attorneys on Tuesday, according to the Portland Press Herald. “Obviously they have not been dismissed or discharged, and depending on how the time frames of this case works, they may serve.”
Jury selection became complicated last week, with zero jurors out of the original pool of 140 seated after four days. The proceedings were conducted behind closed doors until Thursday, when the Maine Supreme Judicial court ruled on an appeal filed by Maine Today Media, and said that the process had to be opened to the public.
Only 39 potential jurors remain from the starting pool as of Tuesday, according to Lynch.
Leave a Comment:
The charges should be dismissed. Just because he had sex with her doesn't mean he paid her for it in cash. And even if he did, that should be between the two of them.
None of the counts dropped nor left have anything to do with him having sex with her. They have to do with him helping her in her prostitution. Reading comprehension obviously isn't one of your strong suits.
--------------------------------------
bart martin-3773750
Ugh,sick U.S puritanism strikes again.All this concerns adult.with no coercion.Buzz off governments who get involved with prostitutio. that´s done freely with adults and without force
@bart,
Obviously you know nothing about prostitution. It isn't a victimless crime. Many prostitutes are coerced and forced into it. And, BTW, it is illegal.
I went to that studio, their motto was "The customer always comes first!!".
What a complete waste of public Judicial resources and taxpayer dollars.
Ugh,sick U.S puritanism strikes again.All this concerns adult.with no coercion.Buzz off governments who get involved with prostitutio. that´s done freely with adults and without force .Go after the gun toting violent trigger happy loons.Maybe if the country was less repressed and purtitanical and not afraid so much of touching.. there´d be much less violence.Set these people free immediately!
Ya, governments should have institutionalized sex, as they do institutionalized violence. Obviously militarism and war are far from perfect in regimenting and disciplining aggression, but they seem to be more effective than the often feeble (and even counter-productive) influence that marriage has on sexuality.
Yet another "crime" that needs to be punished. Not the prostitution, the frivolous waste of taxpayers money.
I still can't figure out what was so great about that zumba instructor... she's not anything special.
The Judge needs to work out a plea bargain, let the guy and instructor off for the price the tax payers have invested in this case, the police have spent on this ordeal, and for the federal, state and local taxes on the income they received. Then every one can move on to more important things, like health care reform, education reform, especially in the area of morality, and most importantly, providing jobs for everyone who really has too much free time on their hands...
Prostitution should be legal. it might even save marriages and women should have their chance for male prostitutes too. But other less expensive sex work alternatives should be legal and not demonized or subject to arbitraty harassment as well. Morality policing is increasing indicated by all of the politicans being taken down for a variety of supposed infractions..
Excellent - no victim, no crime.
You are wrong, Uncle Sam was the victim, didn't get his piece of the action. If they would have paid taxes on it no one would have ever heard about it. Just watch all the charges will go away and they will be convicted of tax evasion.