Seman pleads not guilty to death penalty charges

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Robert Seman pleaded not guilty in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on Friday to 10 counts of aggravated murder with death-penalty specifications in the March 30 deaths of Corinne Gump, 10, and her grandparents William and Judith Schmidt.

Judge Maureen Sweeney accepted the pleas as Seman was arraigned, and ordered Seman, 46, to be held without bond.

Seman is accused of setting a fire at the Schmidts’ Powers Way home the day he was to go on trial on charges that he raped Corinne.

Seman also faces bribery charges in connection with the rape case. Prosecutors say he tried to bribe his ex-wife into telling prosecutors Gump made up the charges against him.

Judge Sweeney also set monthly pretrial hearings in the case. A trial date has not been set.

A grand jury indicted Seman on the aggravated murder charges June 11. He also faces counts of aggravated arson and aggravated burglary in that case.

Seman could be eligible for the death penalty if convicted because of six specifications under Ohio law: He is accused of killing a person under 13; killing two or more people; using prior calculation and design; killing the witness to a crime; killing a person to escape prosecution from a crime; and killing someone in the commission of another felony, in this case the aggravated arson or aggravated burglary.

A trial date for the new charges has not been set.

It also has not been determined if the rape and bribery counts will be tried before the murder counts.