Three women and nine men will begin hearing testimony today in the indecent assault trial of former Penn State football player Scott Paxson.

The trial will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the prosecution making its case for a felony charge of aggravated indecent assault and a misdemeanor charge of indecent assault.

The charges are in connection with the alleged December 2004 assault of a former Penn State student.

The trial is scheduled to last through tomorrow.

The strategies of both the prosecution and defense have been kept tightly under wraps since May 30, when Centre County Judge Bradley Lunsford imposed a gag order on all parties involved in the case.

Lunsford said the order was an attempt to silence the media's coverage after Assistant District Attorney Lance Marshall filed a motion requesting an out-of-coun-

ty jury or an out-of-county trial.

Marshall explained at jury selection that he believed pretrial media coverage was "sensational, inflammatory and slanted."

The gag order prevented lawyers for the prosecution and defense, Lunsford and family members of Paxson from commenting on the case.

The alleged victim has said Paxson had nonconsensual vaginal intercourse with her and finger-penetrated her without her consent in his Nittany Apartments residence.

Lunsford threw out an earlier felony charge of sexual assault April 13, ruling that the commonwealth didn't present enough evidence to prove that the woman was opposed to having sex with Paxson.

In March, Paxson's attorney, Joe Amendola, said a "lack of evidence" and conflicting testimony presented in the March 9 preliminary hearing is reason for the charge against Paxson to be dismissed.