Judge declares mistrial in Donner case

Bill Gang

Friday, Oct. 16, 1998 | 12:32 p.m.

Before the first witness was called in this week's trial over the first of seven lawsuits against a former Las Vegas chiropractor who is alleged to have molested some of his patients, a mistrial was declared.

District Judge Mark Denton granted the mistrial Thursday at the request of attorneys for both sides in the case against then-chiropractor Jeffrey Donner over an attack six years ago on a female patient during a massage therapy session.

The lawyers sought the mistrial Thursday, with both sides citing rulings by the judge that allowed more evidence to be presented to the jury than they wanted. The request could indicate the case will be resolved out of court.

Donner already had been declared to be liable for sexual misconduct in all seven cases and the trials are to determine the amounts that should be awarded to the victims.

The allegations in this case, being broadcast by Court TV, are mirrored in the remaining cases, but Denton ruled the details of each instance should be viewed by separate juries rather than lumped together.

Donner, 34, was given probation in January 1997 for sexual misconduct involving six of his patients after a plea bargain that has prevented the current Florida resident from again being a chiropractor. Since then he has had to register as a sex offender.

He pleaded no contest to a gross misdemeanor charge and was found guilty by a judge.

The plea bargain let Donner avoid a trial on 15 criminal charges, including sexual assault counts that could have put him in prison for life. The incidents occurred during 1992 and 1993 at his Las Vegas and North Las Vegas offices, according to the lawsuits.