Mistrial declared in JROTC sex abuse case in western, Pa.

BUTLER, Pa. (AP) — A judge has declared a mistrial for a former Army Junior ROTC instructor who is charged with molesting two boys at a western Pennsylvania high school.

Judge Timothy McCune of Butler County Common Pleas Court declared the mistrial today after a police witness testified that 51-year-old retired Sgt. Maj. Kevin Johnson, of Portersville, declined to take a lie-detector test.

Lie-detector testimony is not admissible as evidence, and the judge says the mention of it would have tainted any testimony to follow. A new trial date was not set.

Johnson was charged last year with 70 criminal counts for allegedly molesting the boys at Seneca Valley High School. Johnson has pleaded not guilty.