The jury trial for James Exline has been delayed.

Assistant Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn confirms to Raccoon Valley Radio that Judge James Drew declared a mistrial Wednesday morning. A 12-person jury with two alternates was selected Tuesday. Wednesday was suppose to start with opening arguments.

This is the second time a judge has declared a mistrial in this case. The first time was on October 18, 2017, when a mistrial was declared in Greene County, forcing the location to be changed. The trial was then supposed to take place in Mitchell County, but then Judge Drew changed it, within a week of when the trial was to start, to Cerro Gordo County.

Exline is charged with a Class A Felony for his second or subsequent offense for second degree sexual abuse and a Class C Felony for third degree sexual abuse. He is accused of sexually abusing his 12-year-old daughter, Paige Exline, from June 2016 to April 2017. Paige was one of the victims who died in a house fire in Guthrie Center on May 17, 2017.

The reason for the mistrial, and no other information, such as a new trial date or location has been released. Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you more information as it becomes official.