Former coach convicted of sex abuse

By Admin on June 30, 2009

A former basketball coach at Walter Payton College Prep High School in Chicago was convicted this afternoon of sexually abusing a 15-year-old student and groping another underage girl, but the Cook County judge acquitted him of more serious charges.

Circuit Judge James Linn convicted George Turner III, 46, on four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse following a bench trial, but he was acquitted of more serious criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse charges.

The judge said he found certain discrepancies in the prosecution case, but he said, “I do believe there was some touching that occurred that was criminal in nature.”

Prosecutors had contended that Turner initiated a sexual relationship with one of the victims that began with sexually explicit conversations and included several alleged assaults on school property.

The second victim, who was a close friend of the first girl, alleged she was groped by Turner in the coach’s office in February 2008.

Turner, who had no previous criminal history, now faces a sentence of probation up to seven years in prison for each of the four counts for which he was convicted.

–Matthew Walberg

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