Bartender Accused Of Rape Held For Court
AMBRIDGE (KDKA) - A local bartender accused of raping a woman in a bar on Christmas night was held for court on all charges Monday.
According to police, James Sumpter, 37, was the bartender at the Firehouse Lounge in Ambridge the night of the alleged incident.
Allegedly, Sumpter deliberately served the victim alcohol, even though she was visibly intoxicated.
According to the court records, he was held for court on several charges including, rape, sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault.
Surveillance video from the bar appeared to show a highly-intoxicated woman who fell off a bar stool three times. The video also showed the alleged assault on the floor.
"My client's explanation of the events are absolutely different to what the victim alleged and I believe she hid behind that today because you heard her say, 'I don't know. I don't remember. I don't recall,'" Steven Valsamidis, Sumpter's defense attorney, said.
Sumpter is being held in the Beaver County Jail on $30,000 bond. He has another hearing scheduled for next month.
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