VALPARAISO | Prosecutors have dropped plans to retry Brandon Bond, 25, of Valparaiso, on a charge of raping a woman nearly three years ago outside the local Northside Tap.

The felony rape charge was dropped Tuesday at the request of prosecutors, who believe the case would again result in a hung jury, said Chief Deputy Prosecutor Matt Frost.

A jury deliberated 11 1/2 hours over two days in February 2007 before Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary Harper declared the mistrial after jurors said they were deadlocked.

Frost said Tuesday his office consulted with the alleged victim before taking the action and secured an order from Harper prohibiting Bond from having any contact with the woman in question for five years.

Bond, who was represented by defense attorney Larry Rogers, said following Tuesday's hearing he was relieved charges were dropped. He thanked family and friends who supported him during the ordeal.

"They've been through a lot of stress," he said.

Bond took the witness stand during his trial and denied raping the woman as charged during the early morning hours of July 31, 2005. He said when she told him to stop what had been consensual sexual activity, he immediately did so.

The woman stood by her allegations and said she didn't want to testify but chose to in hope of preventing Bond from raping again.