Special prosecutor sought in Missouri teen sex-assault case

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - A Missouri prosecutor who last year dropped sex charges against two former high school football players in an incident involving a 14-year-old girl called on Wednesday for a judge to name a special prosecutor to a case that has drawn national attention. Nodaway County Prosecutor Bob Rice had said that the case stemming from a January 2012 party in Maryville, Missouri, was dropped because of a lack of evidence. A story Sunday in the Kansas City Star with interviews of the girl and her mother focused national attention on Maryville and drew demands from online activist group Anonymous for authorities to investigate the handling of the case. (Reporting by Kevin Murphy; Writing by David Bailey; Editing by Cynthia Johnston)