Rape charges dropped against former Lynn man

SALEM – A former Lynn man about to go on trial for the second time for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl beginning in 2003 had the case dropped after the victim declined to go through a second trial.James Pike, 40, who works as a tow truck driver and has been living in Dover, N.H., was charged with four counts of rape of a child in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl between January 2003 and April 2004.The victim, who was age 13 when the sexual misconduct allegedly took place but is now 20, told prosecutors she didn’t want to go through a second trial.The case first went to trial in September 2008 in Lawrence Superior Court, but the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. A mistrial was declared.Since then, the case has lingered due to a series of delays.It was scheduled to go on trial Monday morning in Salem Superior Court.However, Assistant District Attorney Jean M. Curran reported to Judge Timothy Q. Feeley that she was dropping the charges against Pike.