ST. LOUIS (CN) - The 8th Circuit threw out a lawsuit filed by a woman who claimed Lancaster County District Judge Jeffre Cheuvront violated her constitutional rights by barring her from using the words "rape" and "victim" in a sexual assault trial.
In the underlying case, Pamir Safi was charged with the felony sexual assault of Bethany Bowen in Nebraska state court.
The first jury deadlocked, and a second trial was declared a mistrial because of the pretrial publicity.
Before the third trial began, Bowen unsuccessfully sued Cheuvront for restricting her testimony with a ban that she claimed infringed on her free-speech rights.
A three-judge panel upheld dismissal of her claims for lack of jurisdiction, saying the Jan. 4 dismissal of the criminal prosecution rendered her civil case moot.
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.