Eckstein

There will be no second defamation trial for former Butler County Commissioner Jim Eckstein, after the civil complaints against him were discontinued by the three plaintiffs in the case.

Butler County Prothonotary Glenna Walters confirmed Monday that the case against Eckstein had been discontinued, shortly after attorneys Al Lindsay and Timothy Wojton issued a joint news release on the matter.

Lindsey represented Lori Altman, the county's director of personnel, and her husband, Scott, a Pennsylvania State Police trooper, in the civil case; Wojton represented Eckstein.

In the news release the attorneys say that the Altmans' decision to drop their complaint against Eckstein “represents neither a legal victory nor defeat,” for either party.

According to the statement: “Rather, it is the product of the Altmans' recognition that they and Mr. Eckstein had a full airing of the issues,” at a trial earlier this year.

That 8-day trial, which took place in April, resulted in a hung jury and a mistrial. A second trial was scheduled to begin this week with jury selection.

The statement from Lindsey and Wojton indicated that former Butler County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, who is the third plaintiff against Eckstein, was continuing with his case. But documents on file with Walters on Monday said that case also had been discontinued.