Yakima lawyer acquitted on rape charge

YAKIMA, Wash. – A Yakima lawyer was acquitted on an attempted rape charge, but he could be retried on two other charges after jurors deadlocked.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reported the verdict was read Wednesday in Yakima County Superior Court.

Jurors deliberated more than six hours before telling the judge they were at an impasse on indecent liberties and unlawful imprisonment charges against George Hansen.

The prosecutor said he will seek to retry Hansen on those counts.

Hansen, a criminal defense attorney and former deputy prosecuting attorney, was accused of sexually assaulting an employee of his law firm.

The worker told police that Hansen kept her from getting out of a chair, fondled her and told her he was going to rape her after locking a door.

One juror said the prosecutor didn’t prove Hansen intended to rape the woman.