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Lawyer asks for order barring comment in Seman cases
By JOE GORMAN
YOUNGSTOWN
The attorney for Robert Seman, 46, who had a witness die the day Seman’s child-rape trial was to begin, asked a judge to bar attorneys and any law- enforcement personnel from publicly commenting on the two pending criminal cases against him.
Atty. Tom Zena told Judge Maureen Sweeney in a motion filed Monday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court that statements by prosecutors are making it a “virtual impossibility” his client, of West Calla Road in Green Township, will be able to receive a fair trial on counts of rape and bribery.
Seman was to go on trial March 30 on rape charges involving Corinne Gump, 10. Corinne and her grandparents, William and Judith Schmidt, however, died in a fire at the Schmidts’ Powers Way home hours before jury selection in the case was to begin. Seman was under house arrest at the time.
There still is no official ruling on the cause of the fire. Investigators are awaiting lab tests on samples taken from the fire scene. Investigators served a search warrant at Seman’s home a couple of days after the fire but would not say why. In a motion filed by prosecutors in the rape case last week, however, they referred to the fire as “suspicious.”
In his motion, Zena said he has been contacted by all local media outlets and several from elsewhere in Ohio and the country, including CNN. He has not commented.
Zena in his motion wrote: “Representatives of the state, to the contrary, have provided numerous interviews and comment, all of which prejudice any chance of a fair trial.”
No further court hearings in either case are scheduled until July 2, according to court records.
Seman faces life in prison if convicted. The bribery counts were filed because prosecutors said Seman tried to bribe his ex-wife to tell prosecutors Corinne lied about the sexual assaults. She would receive money if she did.
Zena also has filed a motion to dismiss the rape case because Corinne is unavailable to testify. Prosecutors have filed a response in opposition. Judge Sweeney has yet to rule on the request.