Some 150 potential jurors in Hancock County are receiving phone calls to let them know they won't be needed to try the Claiborne County Sheriff.
Two sexual battery charges against Sheriff David Ray are expected to be dropped by the state, Ray's attorneys said. The state will push for pre-trial diversion on two statutory rape charges.
Pre-trial diversion would require him to avoid legal troubles for 24 months; after that, his record would be cleared.
The judge is expected toaccept or reject the push for pre-trial diversion Wednesday morning at 9 a.m.
Overall, Ray's attorneys said they were pleased with the latest developments in the case, but they could not comment further.
The Hancock County Circuit Court Clerk's office is manually calling each prospective juror individually.
The charges stem from alleged incidents in November 2005 and November 2006, on hunting trips in Hancock County.
The teenaged granddaughter of one of the men with whom Ray was hunting accused him of the sexual assault.
