Huron Expositor, 2005-11-02, Page 1normal life," the soft-
spoken teacher and
volleyball coach said
outside court.
Defence counsel
Howard Rubel said the
judge's decision and
comments about the
allegations left no
doubt they didn't
happen.
"It's unfortunate that
he has had to live with
this hanging over his
head for a year,"
Mr. Rubel said,
adding it will
take the Sampa
family time to
put it behind
them.
During the
trial, two young
women, both
under 18 at the
time of the
allegations,
testified they
had physical
relationships
with the teacher.
The youngest
student said she
had sex with Mr.
Sampa in June
2004 after
volleyball
practice in a
coaches room.
The elder
complainant
said she had sex
for the first time
in her Life in Mr.
Sampa's rented
car in the
driveway of her
parents' home
four months
later. Both
students
testified there
were other
incidents of
sexual touching
in classrooms at
the school.
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The Huron
Week 44-Vo1.001
www.seaforthhuronexpOeltor.com
Brief
Stolen
vehicle
found
destroyed
by fire
Just hours after it
was first reported
stolen, OPP discovered
what was left of a
stolen vehicle from
Harpuryhey.
The vehicle, a gray
Chevrolet Lumina, was
left unlocked with a
spare set of keys
hidden inside.
It was stolen some
time through the night
Oct. 27, and was
reported stolen around
7:30 a.m. the next
morning.
The car was
discovered abandoned
just off of Bannockburn
Line near Mill Road in
Bluewater.
Before leaving the
vehicle thieves set the
car on fire, totally
destroying it.
If anyone can help
solve this case contact
the Huron OPP or call
Crime Stoppers at 1-
800-222-8477.
EMI NO
Junior flreflghters
seeing action...
'Three Hensall teenagers
became the youngest to ever
join the Fire Department
under new junior program
pg.io
$ 1 2S
gu included
Wednesday,
November 2, 2005
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OUTBUDt GS, GRAN STORAGE
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Sampa found not guilty
Paul Cluff
A judge acquitted a
Mitchell District High
School teacher of
sexual exploitation
charges this morning,
calling the allegations
by two young women
improbable and the
product of a vivid
imagiiton.
Jame Sampa hugged
his Iayer and then
turned to
embrace
many of
the more than a dozen
family members and
friends at Stratford
Provincial Court
showing their support
during the verdict
delivered by Justice
George Brophy.
"I am relieved this is
over and now try
get a
and
I
can
back
to
•
Jeff Heuchert photo
Five-year-old Hudson Smith of Cranbrook waits to get his.
hands on some glue to help hold together his cardboard
Frankenstein with the help of volunteer Donna O'Brien.
Smith was one of over 60 children that took part in the
fun during the Seaforth Optimist's Halloween is for Kids
held inside Optimist Hall Saturday afternoon.
examination
Sampa and
Cross- watched Jeopardy
of Mr. with. her and put her
other : " .to -bed.
defence witnesses,
including his wife,
mother-in-law and
students at the school,
provided a detailed
account of Mr. Sampa's
activities on both
dates the sex allegedly
took place, the judge
said.
The teacher's
daughter was at the
volleyball practice at
the time the sex
allegedly took place,
making it hard to
believe that he could
sneak off to the
coaches room, the
judge said.
Testimony revealed
that janitors were
often waiting for the
practice to end so they
could sweep the gym,
furthering the judge's
disbelief that the sex
took place after the
practice.
The elder student
testified that the
teacher was at her
home from 8-8:15 p.m.,
but Mr. Sampa's
mother-in-law testified
that he was at home at
that time.
She testified he came
home and had supper
with his daughter,
Mr. Rubel said it is
common in a criminal
case for a judge to find
he is not satisfied
beyond a reasonable
doubt and give some
benefit to the accused:
The judge noted that
both complainants had
a history of fabricating
stories, including ones
involving a pregnancy
and a car accident.
"He made a finding
today that each of the
complainants'
evidence did not
happen. He found
their stories were the
product of their
imagination and pure
fabrication. The
evidence proved James
Sampa was innocent,"
Mr. Rubel said.
Rev. Cheryl -Ann
Stadelbauer-Sampa, a
minister at Central
United Church in
Stratford, said support
from family, teachers
and the congregation
at her church helped
sustain her husband
and their family
through a tough time.
"We have had each
other and we always
knew it wasn't true."