PITTSBURGH — A defense attorney for a sheriff accused of corruption has told appeals court judges that his client should not be tried again after his first case ended in a mistrial.

The attorney for former Westmoreland County Sheriff Jonathan Held told the Superior Court judges that there is not enough evidence from the first trial to warrant a second.

Held is accused of instructing on-duty staffers to participate in reelection campaign activities. Jurors found him guilty of a felony count of conflict of interest and a misdemeanor theft charge. However, the verdict was negated after a juror publicly rescinded their vote. A mistrial was then declared in December 2018.