Rev. James Richard Harris would promise young football players a shot in the NFL - and then would sexually abuse them, often videotaping the encounters, in his home.
The prosecution wrapped its case this week, ending with their main witness in the case, who was 15 when Harris coerced him into performing lewd and lacivious acts while being videotaped, eventually escalating to physical contact.
This was one of many young football players Harris had molested under the same ruse.
**Triggering**
The boy stood timidly in front of the camera, turning right and left, standing up and laying down as the adult male voice behind the camera directed him.
Jurors on Tuesday watched as the completely naked 15-year-old performed lewd acts at the man’s direction while an adult video played on a nearby television screen. At one point, the adult face could be seen reflecting back in a mirror as the boy put on a pair of shorts.
The Face of a Pedophile
Reverend James Richard Harris
The boy, now a young man, sat in the back of the courtroom and looked at the jurors for a while before he trained his eyes on Rev. James Richard Harris, the man who he told jurors filmed him on that occasion and performed a sex act on him in a separate incident.
He said he complied with Harris’ requests — made in 2008 and 2009 — because Harris promised the former Glades Central football player that he would introduce him to an athletic trainer and other people that would help him on his quest to play in the NFL.
As evidenced in the Sandusky case, the rumors were rampant and boys consistently defended themselves against taunts and teasing. Even those in the community whispered behind closed doors about this man.
...many in the talent-rich high school football community said suspicions about his activities with young players had accompanied him over the many years he’d spent on the sidelines at football games.
The defense begins their case today.
Reminder
If you know
or suspect that a child is being abused, you should always take it seriously.
A good rule of thumb is to assume a “false positive”- in other words, assume that abuse is occurring if you have suspicions, and respond accordingly.
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