The Cupertino Courier

Ex-coach pleads not guilty

Homestead High School's former football coach Jeff Lamson pleaded not guilty Sept. 9 to three sexual misconduct charges.

On Oct. 20, Deputy District Attorney Victoria Brown and Lamson's attorney, Chuck Smith, will meet at a hearing to discuss a possible plea bargain, further charges or a lessening of charges.

A preliminary hearing has been set for Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. in Municipal Court.

Lamson was arrested on Aug. 22 for one count of oral copulation with a 16-year-old girl and one count of penetration with a foreign object. He was also charged with a misdemeanor of "molesting or annoying" a 14-year-old girl.

If convicted on all counts, Lamson faces a maximum sentence of four years and eight months of incarceration--three years and eight months in state prison for the felony charges and one year in county jail for the misdemeanor.

An investigation of Lamson's conduct with the 14-year-old student began after the girl's mother contacted the school.

References to Lamson were found in the girl's journal, including one passage that spoke of the two "walking down the aisle together" and thinking about "holding and kissing" each other.

[ Back to Contents Page | Cupertino Courier Home Page | Archives ]