The jury reached a verdict in just under two hours.
Judge Tim Tepe denied Hall bond, and he was handcuffed and led off to the county jail to await sentencing on Monday. Hall faces a mandatory life sentence for the forcible rape of someone 12-years-old or younger.
“I’m just so proud of these women for coming forward to tell their horrific stories of abuse that Tim Hall perpetrated on them when they were children. I’m also very grateful to the jury who listened to their stories and, through today’s verdict, stated unequivocally, ’We believe you,’” said Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell.
Before defense lawyers began making their case Thursday, Tepe dismissed seven other charges involving a different accuser. Three other charges were dropped before the start of the trial.
Tepe dismissed the charges due to changes in the definition of ‘sexual conduct’ under Ohio law in 1996 that, after hearing the accuser’s testimony, meant Hall had been charged under the wrong section of the law.
Tepe denied a motion for a mistrial, ruling the value of this accuser’s testimony outweighed any prejudice of the jury. The judge also noted another jury would likely hear the same testimony if the case was refiled by prosecutors.
The accusers testified on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Both worked for Hall later in their lives, a point pressed by his lawyers to undermine allegations of sex abuse while they were girls attending school in Springboro.
Detectives from Springboro and Clearcreek Twp., the unincorporated area around Springboro, testified Thursday.
Nancy Johnson, a former Springboro teacher now living in Arizona, told the jury Thursday that she had no recollection of the first accuser twice telling her of the abuse, apparently contradicting testimony of the woman, now 40, and living in South Carolina.
Hall, an ex-Realtor, was arrested in May 2019 after police searched his Clearcreek Twp. home and Springboro office.
His lawyers worked hard to reveal for the jury an earlier unfounded sexual assault claim by the second accuser, who at one time claimed a mafia gang was responsible, but later implicated Hall, according to testimony.
Assistant County Prosecutor Travis Vieux countered that in “cold cases,” such as the one against Hall, reconstructing from old records can be less productive than pressing the suspect for a confession.
Dunkel agreed partial admissions were “still valuable” and that sex offenders sometimes minimize their crimes.
On Monday and Tuesday, the first accuser testified about how Hall continued to sexually assault her even though she stopped showering and tried other tactics to stop him.
The woman testified that he assaulted her while other friends slept nearby during a sleepover when she was in eighth grade in Springboro.
Also Tuesday, Dr. William Ralston testified on Hall’s behalf, about the absence of of reports of sexual assault for either of the two accusers, both who are known to Hall.
Hall’s attorney Kevin Hughes said he will appeal the conviction.
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