Judge declares mistrial in ex-cheerleader’s libel lawsuit against gossip website

COVINGTON, Ky. – A federal judge declared a mistrial in a defamation lawsuit against a gossip website filed by a former Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader who had sex with her underage student.

U.S. District Judge William Bertelsman declared the mistrial Friday after jurors couldn’t reach a verdict.

Former cheerleader and high school teacher Sarah Jones had sued Scottsdale, Ariz.-based thedirty.com and its operator over two posts that said she had slept with every Bengals player and likely had two sexually transmitted diseases.

She was seeking $11 million.

The posts were unrelated to Jones’ relationship with her former 17-year-old student. Jones pleaded guilty in that case in October in a deal that allowed her to avoid jail time. The two are still dating.

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