This adults only room was in The Friendly Market, 1100 E Constitution, Norman, in December 2015. [Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman Archives]

NORMAN — Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn dropped drug-related charges Monday against an owner and a former clerk of a Norman glass pipe shop after growing public scrutiny of the case.

Mashburn said he decided to seek dismissal of charges against Robert Cox, 63, owner of The Friendly Market, and former clerk James Maxwell Walters, 22, after talking to law enforcement and jurors from three previous trials concerning the now-closed business.

In a news release, Mashburn said his office would continue its prosecution of similar cases, but would work with law enforcement to gather better evidence moving forward.

“The reason we care about enforcing drug laws is because we see the chaos and destruction drug use causes,” Mashburn said. “One of my roles as a prosecutor is to identify trends and causes of violent crime and do my part to deter those crimes.”