Ex-MLB player convicted of sexual assault

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jun 17, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Former major league outfielder Mel Hall was found guilty Tuesday of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl he coached on an elite basketball team a decade ago.

A Tarrant County jury took about 90 minutes to convict the 48- year-old Hall on three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child.

The sentencing phase was to resume Wednesday after two witnesses testified Tuesday afternoon. Hall faces up to life in prison.

Hall's accuser, now 23, testified Monday that Hall engaged in sex acts with her in various places, including her home and Hall's apartment.

Hall was arrested in 2007 by police in a Fort Worth suburb investigating allegations of sexual abuse.

His 13-year major league career ended in 1996, two years before Hall met the girl's family at a basketball tournament. The girl's father asked for baseball tips for his son, but Hall's friendship with the family grew through basketball, the Fort Worth Star- Telegram reported. Hall was impressed with the girl's talent and wanted to start a basketball team, according to testimony. Soon, he was giving the girl private lessons and stayed in the family home while he was apparently building a house in a nearby suburb.

-- Staff and wire services