Seman asks for rape case to be dismissed

YOUNGSTOWN — The attorney for a man accused of rape where the 10-year-old victim died in a fire the day of the trial is asking a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court judge to dismiss the case.

Judge Maureen Sweeney gave prosecutors 10 days to respond to the request by Robert Seman, 46, of West Calla Road in Green Township.

Seman had a pretrial hearing this morning on the rape counts and counts of bribery. He is accused of bribing a witness in the rape trial.

Seman is accused of raping Corrine Gump, 10 and faces life in prison if convicted.

Gump and her grandparents, William and Judith Schmidt, died in a fire in their Powers Way home early March 30, just hours before jury selection in the rape case was to begin.

There has still been no official cause of the fire. Police and prosecutors are still investigating.

Seman is in the county jail on no bond.