Prosecutor Drops Charge In Controversial Rape Case

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Lincoln (KPTM) - Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey says he decided not to pursue a third trial in a sexual assault case because the judge barred the testimony of 2 key witnesses.

Lacey announced his decision to drop the charges against Pamir Safi today.

Lacey says two women testified at Safi's first trial in November 2006. Lacey says the women both alleged that "Safi took advantage of their drunkenness to force sex upon them."

Tory Bowen accused Safi of rape in October 2004. Safi says it was consensual sex, Bowen says she was too drunk to give consent.

The case gained national interest when the judge in the case refused to allow Bowen to use the words "rape" or "victim" on the witness stand.

Bowen's lawyer Wendy Murphy says Lacey's explanation doesn't make much sense because the judge barred testimony from those two witnesses before the second trial last summer.

Murphy says the loss of those witnesses didn't prevent Lacey from trying to prosecute Safi last summer.

Both trials against Safi ended in mistrial.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.