Beanpot Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 Pretty sure we had a thread on this several months ago, but the sentence has been handed out and it looks like Mel will never set foot outside of prison. Assuming he's guilty of all the lewd charges, thank mothering-effing-God for that: Jury orders 45 years for former slugger Mel Hall By SCHUYLER DIXON – 59 minutes ago FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Former major league outfielder Mel Hall was sentenced to 45 years in prison Wednesday after being convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl he coached on an elite basketball team. Hall was convicted on three counts of aggravated sexual assault and two counts of indecency with a child. Among his accusers during sentencing Wednesday were others who said he carried on inappropriate relationships with them. Hall, 48, looked skyward and swayed back and forth as the verdict was read. One of his two daughters who testified on his behalf during the punishment phase sobbed. Jurors reached the verdict on the punishment after about an hour of deliberating. They took about 90 minutes Tuesday to convict Hall. He must serve about 22 1/2 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole. After the verdict was announced, prosecutor Kim D'Avignon read a brief statement on behalf of the 12-year-old victim and other accusers. "We believe that the verdict does on some level show that the jury understood," D'Avignon said after the trial. "They looked in these girls' eyes and said this is worth 40 years, and we agree with them." The defense had argued in the sentencing phase of the trial that Hall was a good man who mentored a lot of athletes and had a lot of good still to do. "For all the good this man has done in his life, it seems like this was an excessive verdict," defense attorney Brady Wyatt said after the verdict. The prosecution's final witness during the punishment phase testified that she was 14 when Hall touched her inappropriately and told her he wanted to have sex with her. Late Tuesday, two women testified Hall sexually assaulted them when they were underage. On Wednesday, a woman testified that Hall was her softball coach when, during an end-of-season pool party, he made lewd noises and grabbed her around the waist. "He just grabbed me how I thought was inappropriate," said the woman, now 19. She said Hall also would watch her take batting practice and make crude comments and tell her he wanted to have sex with her. Hall's ex-wife and two daughters testified on his behalf. "My dad would not do that," said his daughter, Bianca Hall, who had to stop to compose herself throughout her emotional testimony. Hall, who had been stoic and unemotional throughout most of the trial that began Monday, smiled and nodded as his daughter spoke of their relationship. When she become emotional while describing how much she loved and trusted him, Hall bit his lip and looked away. During the trial this week, witnesses testified that Hall was impressed with the 12-year-old girl's talent and wanted to start a basketball team. The woman testified that Hall exposed himself to her and her younger brother at home, when their parents were away. The boy testified that he thought they were playing a game and never told his parents. "I trusted him," the woman testified. "I honestly had no idea anything was inappropriate at the time. I looked up to him. I just thought this is how normal people act." Hall's interaction with the girl progressed to inappropriate touching and him showing her how to perform oral sex, she testified. She said he also showed her pornographic movies at an apartment Hall shared with his girlfriend and their infant son. The two women who testified Tuesday told similar stories of how he won their parents' trust and then charmed the young girls. One said she was 15 and Hall was in his first season with the New York Yankees when the abuse began in 1989. The other testified that she was a 14-year-old basketball teammate of the 12-year-old victim when she was raped in 1999. Hall has been charged in that case. Hall's 13-year major league career ended in 1996. He hit .276 with 134 home runs and 620 RBIs in a career that included stints with the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, Yankees and San Francisco Giants. He also played four years in Japan. Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Beanpot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AdaM Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 Seriously? The lawyer said after all the good he's done this is excessive? Thats like a doctor going on a killing spree and justifying it by saying he's saved hundreds of lives so its ok. wow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpeen Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 Sad story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrownB499 Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 The thing that really sticks out here is that this pervert has been preying on young girls for 20 years !! chances are that in 1989 a 15 year olds accusations against a major leaguer would have been brushed away but look how many more girls this piece of shit abused after that, and these are just the ones with enough courage to come forward PLEASE if you have children( boys or girls) let them know that it's ok to speak up and that NO ONE should ever touch them in an inappropriate manor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosar_For_President Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 PLEASE if you have children( boys or girls) let them know that it's ok to speak up and that NO ONE should ever touch them in an inappropriate manor Unless your teacher has a nice rack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beanpot Posted June 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 The thing that really sticks out here is that this pervert has been preying on young girls for 20 years !! chances are that in 1989 a 15 year olds accusations against a major leaguer would have been brushed away but look how many more girls this piece of shit abused after that, and these are just the ones with enough courage to come forward PLEASE if you have children( boys or girls) let them know that it's ok to speak up and that NO ONE should ever touch them in an inappropriate manor First, everything you say is exactly right and thanks for taking the time to say it. Seriously, a-freaking-men to every bit of it. Second, as for Mel, he seemed to be a different cat 20 years ago. He's one of the first professional athletes I ever met, sitting on the couch of a local TV personality when we went to pick up her sister way back in the day. That local personality has since found God and is married to another former athlete. But back then, Mel and her seemed way friendly and it was an age appropriate situation. Thirdly and lastly, I have to amplify your comment about courage. It takes tons of just that to speak up. Great post BrownB. Beanpot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG71097 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 First, everything you say is exactly right and thanks for taking the time to say it. Seriously, a-freaking-men to every bit of it. Second, as for Mel, he seemed to be a different cat 20 years ago. He's one of the first professional athletes I ever met, sitting on the couch of a local TV personality when we went to pick up her sister way back in the day. That local personality has since found God and is married to another former athlete. But back then, Mel and her seemed way friendly and it was an age appropriate situation. Thirdly and lastly, I have to amplify your comment about courage. It takes tons of just that to speak up. Great post BrownB. Beanpot I agree with everyone on this topic It is a sad story for the victims I did get to meet Mel as I worked in one of the Flats East Bank establisments and he was there "dating" a bartender friend of mine We even played a baseball video game at the bar and I used to kid him that he had warning track power because he could never quite get the timing down while he was hitting. I remember shortly thereafter he hit one off of facade of the 3rd deck in old yankee stadium. Anyway he will more than likely be in jail for the rest of his life Since he was found guilty that is right where he belongs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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