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Jury to reconvene in 76-year-old’s rape trial today

WARREN — Jurors in the sexual assault trial of Danny M. McFadden deliberated late into Thursday evening but failed to reach a verdict and will reconvene this morning.

Jurors are set to resume at 9:30 a.m. in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court before Judge Cynthia Westcott Rice after they ended deliberations around 7:30 p.m. Thursday without consensus on the 28 charges.

The 76-year-old faces 17 counts of first-degree felony rape and multiple counts of gross sexual imposition.

The four-day trial featured testimony from a 12-year-old girl who said McFadden, a man she’s known her entire life, molested her starting at age 5 and escalating over seven years to include oral sex and threats to displace her and her siblings if she disclosed the abuse.

She described incidents occurring two to three times weekly in homes and vehicles during babysitting or transport to activities.

The girl’s parents testified to their shock upon learning of the allegations in May, with the mother recalling feeling “sick” and the father briefly passing out. A former nanny described observing “inappropriate” hugs and touches by McFadden.

Prosecutors played a video of the girl’s forensic interview and an hour-long police questioning of McFadden, who denied wrongdoing and suggested the child had a history of lying. A nurse practitioner noted a vaginal infection consistent with possible assault.

McFadden did not testify. The defense has argued the allegations lack credibility.

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