‘Otis’ vows to appeal guilty verdict in Mayberry

MOUNT AIRY, N.C. (AP) – Otis is in trouble again, but this time
it’s not with Sheriff Andy Taylor.
James Slate, who dresses as the frequently-jailed Otis from
“The Andy Griffith Show” and plays checkers with tourists in
Mount Airy, has been found guilty of blocking a town sidewalk and
fined $50.
The 64-year-old former police officer said Friday he’ll appeal
the verdict.
Police say Slate was warned repeatedly about the checkerboard,
table and chairs he set up on a sidewalk in front of his son’s
store. They say he wasn’t dressed as Otis when he was arrested last
April.
Mount Airy, the birthplace of Andy Griffith, served as the basis
for Mayberry, the setting of the popular 1960s TV show.