By Jason Geary
The Ledger
March 13, 2009
http://www.theledger.com/article/20090312/NEWS/903121987/1338?Title=Sentencing-Delayed-in-Molestation-Case
 |
| Marshal Seymour |
BARTOW | Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen agreed Thursday to delay the sentencing of Marshal Seymour, a former church volunteer accused of molesting boys, until later this month.
The judge allowed the mother of a past victim to testify, but he rescheduled the rest of the hearing for March 27.
Seymour, 41, of Lakeland is charged with sexually abusing three boys he met through his volunteer work at First Baptist Church at the Mall, a prominent Lakeland church.
A Lakeland Police Department investigation has also revealed another eight boys were identified as potential victims of Seymour.
In January, Seymour pleaded guilty or no contest to five felony charges.
While his exact sentence remained unknown, he faces a maximum of 65 years in prison.
As part of Seymour's plea agreement, prosecutors agreed not to file additional charges against Seymour with any of the other eight currently known victims.
However, prosecutors aren't prohibited from filing charges against Seymour if other victims were to come forward in the future.
Seymour, who ran a local fire extinguisher business, moved to Lakeland in 1999 and began volunteering at First Baptist Church at the Mall.
The church is one of the largest churches in the region, with more than 8,700 members.
In another wrinkle, Seymour's lawyer, James "Rusty" Franklin, filed a motion to be dismissed from the case during Thursday's hearing.
The motion suggests that Seymour wants to withdraw from his plea agreement, but doesn't provide further details.
Jacobsen denied the request.
 |
| Marshall Seymour, left, sits in court with his lawyer James "Rusty" Franklin during his sentencing hearing before Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen at the Polk County Courthouse on Thursday. Sentencing is to resume March 27 |
When Seymour entered the plea in January, the judge had taken him through an extensive list of questions to determine whether he understood what he was agreeing to.
After the motion was denied Thursday, Franklin then requested the sentencing hearing be delayed so he could get an expert witness to testify on behalf of his client.
The expert and other witnesses are expected to testify at the second portion of the sentencing hearing later this month.
However, Jacobsen allowed prosecutors to present one witness Thursday who traveled from Alabama to testify.
Seymour has a history of sexual abuse in Alabama, where he was accused of molesting a 15-year-old boy, court records show. He was convicted of misdemeanor battery in that case.
The mother of the Alabama boy came to Florida to speak about how her family has been hurt by Seymour's sexual abuse.
She said Seymour met her son because he was a neighbor and youth minister at her church.
"We initially loved Marshal," she said.
Seymour became like a member of her family before manipulating her son and having numerous sexual encounters with him, she said.
"He stole my son's innocence," she said.
[ Reporter Jason Geary can be reached at jason.geary@theledger.com or 863-802-7536. ]
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.