Jury trial continued after lengthy delay
WAYNESBURG – A jury trial scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Thursday was continued following 11/2 hours of closed-door discussions among the district attorney, defense attorney Harry Cancelmi and Judge Farley Toothman.
No explanation was given as to why the case was continued or whether a new trial date was set.
The jury was prepared to being hearing testimony in the trial of Earnest Samuel Chipps Jr., 48, of Garards Fort, who is charged with indecent assault and harassment with physical contact for an alleged Oct. 1, 2102, incident involving a 12-year old girl.
The girl told police Chipps approached her from behind and inappropriately touched her while she was playing on a computer at his home.
She said she slapped him and asked Chipps to take her home, which he did.
On April 7, 2013, the girl reported the alleged incident to state police, who then interviewed her father who said he remembered the day she visited Chipps’ home to play with Chipps’ daughter.
The girl’s father told police he remembered her slamming the door when she came home.
When he asked her what was wrong, she said Chipps tried to put his hand inside her shirt. He told police he did not report it because he did not think it was a big deal, according to the complaint.