Prosecutors announced Wednesday they will not re-try former Compton basketball coach Russell Otis on a charge of felony child molestation.,
Deputy District Attorney Ryan King, one of two prosecutors who tried the case against Otis last month, noted there were several reasons for his office's decision not to pursue another trial.
The main reason, King said, is knowing Otis' misdemeanor conviction for child molestation will require he have to register as a sex offender for life, meeting the DA's goal of ensuring the defendant never teach or coach minors again.
Otis was convicted on the misdemeanor count last month and faces the possibility of one year in county jail, court fees and fines and he may have to submit a DNA sample when he returns for sentencing on Jan. 6.
It took a jury nearly two weeks to convict the 46-year-old single father of the misdemeanor count for repeatedly propositioning a 16-year-old boy who played on the national title-winning Dominguez High School team via hundreds of text messages.
The jury deadlocked 10-to-2 in favor of guilt on the felony count, which alleged Otis propositioned the boy outside of the victim's home and showed the victim a stack of cash he could have if he let Otis perform oral sex on the youth.
The jury acquitted Otis on all counts related to allegations that he deposited a $15,000 check from Nike made out to Compton Unified School District into his personal bank account.
"As it stands right now, he will be required to register as a sex offender for life and spend one year in jail," King said. "Because there was no physical touching in the felony charge any sentence for that charge would not require more than a year."
Otis' attorney, Leonard Levine, said he was pleased that the DA decided to dismiss the felony count and said he still plans to appeal the misdemeanor charge when Otis returns to court for formal sentencing on Jan. 6.
Deputy District Attorney Ryan King, one of two prosecutors who tried the case against Otis last month, noted there were several reasons for his office's decision not to pursue another trial.
The main reason, King said, is knowing Otis' misdemeanor conviction for child molestation will require he have to register as a sex offender for life, meeting the DA's goal of ensuring the defendant never teach or coach minors again.
Otis was convicted on the misdemeanor count last month and faces the possibility of one year in county jail, court fees and fines and he may have to submit a DNA sample when he returns for sentencing on Jan. 6.
It took a jury nearly two weeks to convict the 46-year-old single father of the misdemeanor count for repeatedly propositioning a 16-year-old boy who played on the national title-winning Dominguez High School team via hundreds of text messages.
The jury deadlocked 10-to-2 in favor of guilt on the felony count, which alleged Otis propositioned the boy outside of the victim's home and showed the victim a stack of cash he could have if he let Otis perform oral sex on the youth.
The jury acquitted Otis on all counts related to allegations that he deposited a $15,000 check from Nike made out to Compton Unified School District into his personal bank account.
"As it stands right now, he will be required to register as a sex offender for life and spend one year in jail," King said. "Because there was no physical touching in the felony charge any sentence for that charge would not require more than a year."
Otis' attorney, Leonard Levine, said he was pleased that the DA decided to dismiss the felony count and said he still plans to appeal the misdemeanor charge when Otis returns to court for formal sentencing on Jan. 6.
He got off easy!!! This is the second time he was charged! People like this have no place in our schools or coaching!!! Otis should consider himself lucky he only got one year! I bet the guys in prison will give him a dose of his own medicine. Sickening!