Judge Officially Drops Mark Salling's Child Pornography Charges
Former Glee star Mark Salling may further rest in peace. Authorities have dropped the child pornography case against the actor amid news that he committed suicide.
Judge Dismisses Mark Salling's Charges
United States District Judge Otis D. Wright was the one to sign off on the documents that tossed out the case against Salling.
“For good cause shown, it is hereby ordered that: The government’s motion to dismiss the indictment pursuant to Rule 48 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure is granted,” read court documents. “The indictment in the above referenced case is dismissed without prejudice.”
Interestingly enough, it was the prosecuting side in the case that initially moved for the case to be thrown out for good. The actor reportedly committed suicide and was found dead the morning of Jan. 30. He was said to have hung himself from a tree close to the Los Angeles River.
The Shock Of It All
Salling had already pleaded guilty to child pornography charges shortly after his arrest in December 2015. He was supposed to be sentenced in March this year and faced between four and seven years behind bars.
Authorities revealed he had more than 25,000 photos and 600 videos of underaged pornography and sexual abuse in on multiple computers and thumb drives. The youngest victim was reportedly 3 years old.
Salling’s attorney shocked fans when he released a statement that confirmed his passing.
“Mark was a gentle and loving person, a person of great creativity, who was doing his best to atone for some serious mistakes and errors of judgment. He is survived by his mother and father, and his brother. The Salling family appreciates the support they have been receiving and asks for their privacy to be respected.”
While his charges were dropped, his family and loved ones are still dealing with the fallout of his decisions and history.
Warning Signs Preceded Salling's Decision
Aurelie Wynn, who used to date Salling, said she wasn’t surprised that he took his own life. She described him as “lonely” and “quiet” in his last days. He had been in therapy in hopes of recovering from mental illness and his very public criminal charges.
Wynn pointed out that she wanted to visit him after his first attempt at suicide in August. He had relocated back to California from Texas, which Wynn hinted she didn’t think was a good idea. She wanted to go visit him, but the star had already done the unthinkable.
Be sure to keep up with Enstars for the latest.