Jury is deliberating Russell Otis’ fate

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A Los Angeles County Superior Court jury in Compton began deliberations this morning to determine the criminal case against former Compton Dominguez High boys’ basketball coach Russell Otis.

Otis, 47, is charged with felonies for allegedly making unwanted sexual advances and meeting with a former Dominguez player, who has since left the school, and for depositing into his personal account a $15,000 check Nike wrote to Compton Unified School District to support the boys’ basketball program.

The coach’s attorney labeled the check felonies as ‘ridiculous,’ insisting Otis used the money deposited in 2007 for basketball team purposes. The defense attorney also said the alleged sex crimes were supported by flimsy evidence and based on the player’s wishes to transfer.

Yet, a deputy district attorney told the six-man, six-woman jury Friday that the case revealed the coach’s willingness to deceive through the ‘power, control, opportunity, sophistication, decisiveness in all of his actions to occur under the guise of being a hero.’ Otis directed Dominguez to five CIF state championships and 10 Southern Section titles between 1987 and 2008.

More apparent violations of Southern Section by-laws emerged in the trial from players who won Southern Section titles playing for Otis -- as they did in Otis’ first trial for alleged sexual assault (he was acquitted in that 2001 case) -- but prosecutor Ryan King said the coach’s alleged criminal wrongdoing deserved punishment.

‘You may be able to violate CIF rules to win, but you can’t do that to a young man,’ King told the jury in his closing statement. ‘When you go to those lengths, you’re just a predator, and you’re guilty.’

--Lance Pugmire