Navy Hero To Stand Trial For Armed CU Raid

- ST. PAUL. Minn. (04/15/02) - A Navy Corpsman,decorated for bravery in the 1987 attack on the USS Stark by Iraqimissiles, withdrew his guilty plea Friday for the commando-stylearmed robbery last May 3 at Red Wing CU in nearby Red Wing, whichdefense attorneys attributed to post-traumatic stress disorder.Lawyers for Mark Samples told the federal court Samples, 24 at thetime, was permanently scarred by the Persian Gulf attack, in which37 fellow crewman were killed. Samples pleaded guilty last Augustto the credit union heist in which he rode a bicycle to the creditunion dressed in black scuba divers pants and a green raincoat,then used a semiautomatic handgun to rob the credit union, beforefleeing with $70,000 in cash cradled under his arm. He then rodethe bike to the nearby banks of the Mississippi River where hespent the next eight hours submerged in the water as he hid frompolice pursuers. After emerging, he drove to the local VeteransAdministration Hospital, where he gave himself up while stillsoaking wet. Samples' family and friends, including the governor ofWest Virginia, sent dozens of letters to the federal court seekingclemency based on Samples' clean record, his patriotism and hisson, three-year-old Christopher, named after his best friend, whodied on the Stark. A trial date has not beenscheduled.