Washington Mayor Jaron Rosien’s day in court has been rescheduled, according to public records and people familiar with proceedings in a case where he is accused of third degree sexual abuse.
Court records filed Friday morning after a pretrial conference said a second such conference would be held Aug. 11, saying both parties agreed to the change and that “discovery is ongoing.” Rosien also has new jury trial dates, listed in Washington on Sept. 12 and 13 at 9 a.m. and 8 a.m., respectively. The trial was originally scheduled for just one day in mid-July.
Approached after leaving the judge’s chambers Friday morning from the first pretrial conference, defense attorney Eric Tindal — who represents Rosien in the case — said such adjustments were “not uncommon.”
Rosien has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which are a Class C felony. His accuser, identified as “AB” in a partially redacted affidavit from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, claims that Rosien made unwanted sexual contact with him at a bar owned by the mayor in January. The mayor began a voluntary unpaid leave of absence from his municipal position in early February after the charges were announced, but has not resigned.