(August 13, 2004) -- Lawyer, law professor, LB City Hall appointee to multiple bodies and recently elected member of the LB Community College Board of Trustees, displayed his legal acumen on the Fox News Channel on August 12 when asked his opinions on the Scott Peterson murder trial, now underway in northern CA.
(Peterson is accused of murdering his pregnant wife, Laci, whose body and unborn child turned up in SF bay. Prior to the murder, Peterson began a steamy relationship with a massage therapist who says Peterson at first didn't mention being married and told her various howlers.)
Mr. Otto doesn't represent Peterson and has no formal connection with the Peterson case...but wound up appearing on the nationally cablecast afternoon program when Professor Robert Pugsley, who teaches at Southwestern Law School where Otto is an adjunct professor, was unable to appear and recommended Otto.
We caught up with Mr. Otto via cellphone as he rode in style back to LB after Fox sent a car to drive him to and from its WLA studios for a satellite uplink.
In a segment of The Big Show, Mr. Otto engaged in fast moving dialogue with NY program host John Gibson and a former SF Deputy D.A. (also via satellite).
(We'd like to show you a screen save and quote segments but Fox's legal department indicates permission could take a week.)
Mr. Otto spoke in measured, scholarly tones...and his tie was mainly straight.
In addition to his LB legal practice, Mr. Otto was a member of City Hall's Planning Commission (for part of the 1990s), Strategic Plan 2010 Committee and Ethics Task Force and is a founding Board member of the Aquarium of the Pacific.
In April, Mr. Otto was elected to the LB Community College Board of Trustees, his first elective office.