Prosecutors dismiss criminal charge against Missouri governor

(Reuters) - St. Louis prosecutors on Monday dismissed the criminal invasion of privacy charge against Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, ending a widely anticipated trial for the state's top politician related to a sex scandal before the jury was even selected. However, the case will be refiled, the office of Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis said in a statement. Kim Gardner's office said it will decide to either pursue a special prosecutor or appoint one of her assistants to handle the case. Prosecutors said they dropped the charge after state circuit court Judge Rex Burlison granted Greitens' request to call Gardner as a witness. Representatives for the Republican governor did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jury selection began on Thursday. Greitens, a 44-year-old former U.S. Navy SEAL commando, was indicted in February on a felony invasion of privacy charge in connection with an admitted extramarital affair in 2015 before his election. Greitens has said he is innocent of any criminal wrongdoing and called the relationship in question consensual. While facing mounting pressure to resign, Greitens has vowed to remain in office while fighting to clear his name. The Missouri General Assembly will convene a special session on Friday to consider impeachment or any other discipline that a special House investigative panel may recommend against Greitens. Last month, prosecutors brought an unrelated charge of computer tampering against the governor, alleging he obtained and transmitted the donor list without the charity's consent for his own political gain. (Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales in Chicago; Editing by Richard Chang)