Jury Acquits Officer of Stealing Shuttle Debris
A law officer in Lufkin was cleared of stealing debris from the space shuttle Columbia, the first case to go to trial involving the theft of shuttle wreckage.
Harrison County Constable Robert Hagan II said he forgot to turn the items over to authorities. Hagan, 46, was among volunteers who gathered debris after the shuttle broke apart over East Texas on Feb. 1, killing all seven astronauts onboard.
Jurors announced their decision after deliberating about 2 1/2 hours. Hagan could have been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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