All criminal charges were dropped on the second day of the trial for Vance Day, former Marion County Judge and former adjunct professor of Political Science at Corban.
The trial began Monday with jury selection but the state moved to dismiss the charges when an unnamed key witness refused to testify against him.
Day was being charged with two counts of illegal possession of a firearm and two counts of first-degree official misconduct for allegedly allowing former Navy SEAL Brian Shehan to handle some of his son’s firearms. Shehan met Day in the Veterans Treatment Court that Day previously presided over. Shehan’s felony DUI was later reduced to a misdemeanor.
Day’s trial was previously scheduled to begin on April 17, 2018 in Marion County, but Day’s legal team pressed for a change of venue. Shehan was set to testify against Day during the coming days.
Day was previously investigated after refusing to marry same-sex couples, motivated by his personal beliefs. Day’s legal team appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States on the grounds of religious discrimination, but their appeal was denied.
In early 2016, the Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability voted unanimously to remove Day from the bench for ethics violations. He was suspended for three years without pay.