The Sun
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Judge sets molestation trial for ex-coach

Lamson's bail increased after he contacted 15-year-old victim

By Steve Enders

Former Homestead High football coach Jeff Lamson, awaiting trial on charges of sexual misconduct with two students, was put back in jail because he paged one of his alleged victims earlier this month--while she happened to be in a meeting with the assistant district attorney prosecuting the case.

Municipal Court Judge John S. Pasco said at a preliminary hearing Thursday that Lamson's violation of the terms of his release was enough to increase bail to $600,000. Pasco also ordered Lamson to stand trial Dec. 29.

Dressed in a green and brown prison uniform, which identifies him as an alleged sex offender separated from other inmates, Lamson appeared generally at ease while descriptions of the alleged relationships were discussed in court.

Lamson, 33, has been charged with one count of oral copulation with a 16-year-old girl and one count of penetration with a foreign object. Both felonies are alleged to have occurred during the 1990-91 school year. He was also charged with one misdemeanor count of "annoying or molesting" a 14-year-old girl during the 1996-97 school year.

The victims--one now 15 and the other in her 20s--were not present at the hearing.

Assistant District Attorney Deborah Baldocchi said Lamson paged the younger victim twice while she was in the prosecutor's office Dec. 4, in the presence of one of the detectives involved in the case.

The girl received the first page and had already decided to call

Lamson "to see what he wanted," sheriff's Det. Karen Burgess testified. While the three were on their way to an office better suited for taping phone calls, Lamson paged the victim again.

The girl returned the page and talked with Lamson for 15 to 20 minutes while the prosecutor secretly taped the exchange. Baldocchi listened in and passed notes to Burgess describing the nature of the call.

The two exchanged greetings and small talk for most of the conversation but eventually began discussing the case.

Burgess said that near the end of the conversation, Lamson tried to make the girl uncomfortable by telling her that she didn't have to testify at the trial, and that he, along with the media, would be present. He told her that he had talked to his attorney, and said to the girl, "You're on our side."

Lamson also told the student he had seen her at a recent high school football game. Burgess said she was "alarmed" by this statement.

Lamson's attorney, Charles Smith, requested that the taped conversation be played to the court in order to prove the call was harmless.

Pasco denied the request, saying that act of paging the victim in and of itself was in direct violation of the release agreement signed by Lamson. The nature of the conversation was irrelevant, the judge said.

Smith asked the court to reduce Lamson's bail because it is posted as high as some alleged murderers. Lamson has no prior record, and the nature of the telephone call with the student was not malicious, Smith argued.

"My client is not a murderer," Smith told the judge.

Pasco replied, "It's more basic than that. He was told not to have any contact. Period. Maybe he'll get the point now."

Lamson's trial begins Dec. 29 at 1:30 p.m.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, December 24, 1997.
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