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Judge to now rule in Haglin case

Nov. 23, 2016 6:37 pm, Updated: Nov. 24, 2016 9:56 am
CEDAR RAPIDS - A jury trial set to begin Monday in Tama County for Mary Beth Haglin, a former Washington High substitute teacher charged with having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student, has been canceled, court officials announced late Wednesday.
Sixth Judicial District Judge Kevin McKeever, through a court official, said the defense has agreed to allow him to rule on Haglin's guilt or innocence based on the 'minutes of testimony.” A judge will issue a written verdict rather than a jury, according to criminal procedure. McKeever's ruling is not likely to come Monday.
The minutes of testimony are a summary of what the prosecution would have witnesses testify to if called to take the stand during a trial, according to the rules. A defendant doesn't admit guilt but agrees to not raise any objections or present evidence and waives their right to a jury or nonjury trial. Instead, the judge issues a verdict based on this limited testimony.
The minutes, not available to the public, are filed with the trial information after charges are filed.
Haglin, 24, is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student from Jan. 1 to May 17 of this year. She is charged with felony sexual exploitation by a school employee.
As of Tuesday, Haglin was set to go to trial in Tama County District Court in Toledo. The defense had asked the court to move the trial out of Linn County, based on pretrial publicity. McKeever granted the request last week.
McKeever was to rule Wednesday on what portion of a video recording from a segment of the 'Dr. Phil” show would be played for jurors next week. Haglin was interviewed on the show in October. There wasn't a ruling on that matter in court files on Wednesday.
If convicted, Haglin faces up to five years in prison.
l Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
Mary Beth Haglin looks on during a hearing at Linn County District Court in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette)