from Jerry Greene, Sheriff of Mahoning County //  Robert Semen was having a final re-trial before his case was moving to Portage County.  Prior to his death penalty case at approximately 940 in the morning, Deputies were leaving the courthouse and were walking down the hallway on the fourth floor.  We watched the video, and it's an apparent suicide.  They were walking down the hallway; one deputy in front of Semen and one behind.  He (Semen) was in plain clothes because this is a high-profile case, but his legs were in shackles and he just went over.  There was no scuffle or anything.  We've spoken to his attorney who said he (Semen) was talking about the case a few minutes ago he was going to see his attorney a few days from now.  He was on trial for a triple-homicide.  He was accused of molesting his step-daughter Corine Gump.  And it was supposed to go to trial a few years ago.  Awaiting trial, she was staying with her grandparents and he's accused burning the house down that they were in.  So a triple murder.  Girls name was Corine Gump she was 10 and her grandparents were William and Judith Schmidt.
Murder suspect jumps to his death
00:50 - Source: CNN

Story highlights

Seman was accused of molesting a young girl and killing her and her grandparents

Sheriff: Suspect "just went over" a rail inside the court building

CNN  — 

A triple-murder suspect jumped to his death from the fourth floor of an Ohio courthouse on Monday, in what police called an apparent suicide.

Robert Seman was accused of molesting a 10-year-old girl and then killing her and her grandparents in an arson fire, Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene said.

The courthouse incident was recorded on video. “We watched the video, and it’s an apparent suicide,” Greene said.

He said two deputies were walking with the shackled Seman down a hallway, one in front of him and one behind. “He just went over” a railing that is at least waist high and fell inside the building’s rotunda, Greene said. “There was no scuffle or anything.”