Mo. State Rep. Mike Thomson says Maryville case "blown out of proportion"

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Intro:	A dismissed sexual assault case in Maryville is gaining fresh attention after the Kansas City Star published its seven-month investigation.
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Wrap: Alleged sexual assault victim Daisy Coleman was found outside her Maryville home in January of 2012.

Matthew Barnett was initially charged with sexual assault.

He is the grandson of former Republican Missouri state representative Rex Barnett.

Representative and Maryville resident Mike Thomson now holds Barnett's old seat and says the media is blowing the situation out of proportion.

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Description: I have read some of the articles that are out there, and they say, "How do you sleep?" You know, I sleep fine and I don't even lock my doors, because I live in a small community where I trust my neighbors and they're good people.

Attorney General Chris Koster's spokesperson said his office can't bring charges in the case.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Christina Turner.

Intro:	A dismissed sexual assault case in Maryville is gaining national attention after the Kansas City Star released its seven-month investigation.
RunTime:	0:43
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Daisy Coleman was found outside her Maryville home in January of 2012.

A former Missouri state representative's grandson Matthew Barnett was initially charged with sexual assault.

Daisy's mother Melinda Coleman told CNN Monday she hopes media attention will prompt local authorities to take another look at the case.

But Representative and Maryville resident Mike Thomson says journalists are blowing things out of proportion.

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Description: I don't know the facts of this case, if things should have gone differently, I don't know. But to be depicted the way we're being depicted across the nation right now is a shame.

Attorney General Chris Koster's office says he can't bring charges in the case.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Christina Turner.

Intro:	Governor Jay Nixon and Attorney General Chris Koster are declining to comment on the Maryville sexual assault case which has drawn national attention to the state.
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Wrap: Spokespersons for both Nixon and Koster are declining to comment on whether the two will get involved in a case out of Maryville that many say shouldn't have been closed.

According to the Kansas City Star, one of the alleged suspects was the grandson of former state Representative Rex Barnett.

Maryville Representative Mike Thomson, who currently holds Burnett's old seat, says the case is being blown out of proportion.

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Description: "I guess I'm going to be a little closed on this matter. I don't want it to spread. I want it to die."

Nodaway County Prosecuting Attorney Bob Rice responded to criticism of his office in a release Tuesday morning saying there wasn't enough evidence to bring criminal charges against the suspects.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Matt Kalish.