Trial of George Ford, Jr running down 12 yr.old sitter with truck~2/02/09 [CONVICTED]

[nanabillie]

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090130/NEWS/901300381/1003/newsfront


January 30, 2009

Trial of Piscataway man charged with running down baby-sitter with truck to begin Monday in N.Y.

By JIM WRIGHT
Gannett News Service
The second-degree murder trial of a New Jersey contractor accused of running down his 12-year-old baby sitter with a pickup truck will begin Monday, Feb. 2, in an upstate New York courtroom.
The trial of 43-year-old George Ford Jr. of Piscataway has been postponed several times. In January, Ford waived his right to a jury trial and requested to have it heard before a judge in Chenango County Court. Opening statements are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
Ford was driving Shyanne Somers of South Otselic home on July 8 after she baby-sat at the Fords' Route 26 summer home while Ford and his wife Cindy attended a graduation party. Ford said Somers had asked to see his horse on the way home.
Ford, who was initially charged with felony first-degree reckless endangerment, told Chenango County deputies he accidentally backed over Somers while she stood by the side of Will Warner Road around midnight.
But investigators became suspicious when Ford claimed the incident happened around midnight. He didn't reach Chenango Memorial Hospital, 26 miles away, until 5 a.m. and appeared to have traveled a roundabout way. Ford said he stayed at the scene for hours due to shock, had difficulty getting the body into the truck and became lost driving to the hospital, according to Chenango County Sheriff Thomas Loughren.
But Loughren contended that the incident occurred at 3:20 a.m. — and a tracking device installed the day before by the defendant's wife showed that Ford didn't take Somers to see the horse, but went the opposite direction and spent more than three hours behind an abandoned farmhouse, a half-mile from where she was killed. Ford's wife had the tracking device installed because she felt he might be having an affair, authorities said.
The sheriff also said Ford didn't back over Somers, but pursued and drove over her, killing her instantly. Once he arrived in Norwich, Ford drove past the hospital and around the city for a while before returning to the medical facility, Loughren said.
The case is now in the hands of recently elected Broome County Judge Joseph F. Cawley — his first murder trial as a judge. The trial was initially expected to take two weeks, but the time will likely be shorter now that it's not a jury trial. Courtroom proceedings won't take place Tuesday or Friday during the first week.
The case will be prosecuted by Chenango County District Attorney Joseph A. McBride of Norwich. The defense attorney will be Randel Scharf of Cooperstown. In previous court appearances, Scharf has said the tracking system will show where the truck traveled, but not what happened.
Here's a timeline of events in the case:
July 8, 2008: George Ford Jr., 42, says he accidentally ran over his baby sitter around midnight. Deputies say the incident occurred on Will Warner Road, Town of Otselic, shortly before 4 a.m. when Ford deliberately ran down 12-year-old Shyanne A. Somers. Ford arrives at Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich with Shyanne's body around 5 a.m. Chenango County Sheriff's Office charges Ford with first-degree felony reckless endangerment. An autopsy shows the baby sitter died of severe head trauma and massive internal injuries.

July 9: Bail is set at $100,000 during a hearing before Justice Hugh H. Comfort in Town of Otselic Court.

Aug. 15: A Chenango County grand jury indicts Ford on a charge of second-degree murder.

Aug. 20: Ford is arraigned in Chenango County Court on the second-degree murder charge and pleads innocent before Chenango County Judge Kevin M. Dowd.

September: Dowd recuses himself in case and Broome County Judge Martin E. Smith is named to hear the case. Smith is later replaced by Broome County Judge Joseph F. Cawley to hear the case.

November: Trial, scheduled to start Dec. 1, is postponed and rescheduled due to a conflict by defense attorney.

December: Trial scheduled to start Jan. 5 is postponed for a second time due to unsettled motions in the case.

January 2009: Trial is scheduled to start Feb. 2.

Jan. 22: Ford appears before Cawley and waives his right to a jury trial, requesting the case be heard by the judge.

Feb. 2: Trial to begin with opening statements.

[nanabillie]

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090202/CRIME/90202025http://www.mycentraljersey.com/graphics/mastlogo.gif

February 2, 2009

UPDATE: Testimony begins in trial of Piscataway man accused of killing 12-year-old girl

GANNETT NEWS SERVICEFour witnesses testified at the Monday afternoon session in the second-degree murder trial of a Piscataway man. The trial of George Ford Jr., 43, adjourned for the day shortly before 5 p.m. Monday in Chenango County Court.
Chenango County detective Sgt. Richard Cobb testified Monday afternoon that the information he got from a GPS tracking key contradicts Ford's story about locations and times in the early morning of July 8, when he is accused of running down Shyanne Somers, 12, on a rural road in the Town of Otselic.

Cobb was still on the stand when court adjourned around 4:45 p.m. He is expected to continue his testimony when the trial resumes at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Earlier Monday, testimony from the victim's father showed Shyanne Somers was called by Ford to babysit, which would have been the girl's first baby-sitting gig.

Instead, she died during the early morning of July 8, 2007, when Ford, hit her with his truck.

Ford, who is on trial for second-degree murder, contends it was an accident. The prosecution says he ran the girl down deliberately.

Opening remarks and initial testimony began yesterday morning before Broome County Judge Joseph F. Cawley, who stepped in after Chenango County Judge W. Howard Sullivan recused himself. The case isn't being heard by a jury.

The defense waived opening remarks.

Shyanne;'s father, James Somers, told the judge that his daughter was a pleasant, happy girl who enjoyed being outside. Her parents prohibited her from babysitting until she turned 12. When she was hired by George Ford, it was 25 days after her 12th birthday, James Somers said.

Ford's wife, Cindy, has said the girl wasn't the couple's babysitter on the night in question.

Cindy Ford attended a graduation party by herself earlier in the day, and only saw the girl when she returned to their summer trailer and decided not to go back to the party.

George Ford then left with the girl around midnight July 7.

Cindy Ford testified Monday morning about the GPS tracking device she had installed on her husband's vehicle the day before, suspecting he was having an affair.

Police have said that George Ford didn't take the girl to see his horse as promised, but went in the opposite direction and spent more than three hours behind an abandoned farmhouse a half-mile from where she was killed. Police also said the device indicated Ford pursued and deliberately drove over Shyanne, then took a round-about way to Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich.

Seth Johnson, a paramedic at the hospital when Ford arrived with Shyanne's body, also testified Monday morning.

[nanabillie]

http://news10now.com/default.aspx?ArID=132878
Tuesday, February 3, 2009

George Ford Jr. trial begins

Updated: 02/02/2009 08:41 PM

Story at link

[nanabillie]

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20090202/NEWS01/90202043

Ford murder trial: Four testify during afternoon sesson


February 2, 2009
http://www.pressconnects.com/gcicommonfiles/sr/graphics/common/icon_whatsthis.gif (http://javascript<b></b>:NewWindow(200,200,'/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=socialbookmarkshelp');)
NORWICH -- Four witnesses testified at the afternoon session in the second-degree murder trial of George Ford Jr., 43, which adjourned for the day shortly before 5 p.m. today in Chenango County Court.

Chenango County detective Sgt. Richard Cobb testified this afternoon that the information he got from a GPS tracking key contradicts Ford's story about locations and times in the early morning of July 8, when he is accused of running down Shyanne Somers, 12, on a rural road in the Town of Otselic.

Cobb was still on the stand when court adjourned around 4:45 p.m. He is expected to continue his testimony when the trial resumes at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

[nanabillie]

http://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2009-02-02/6206/Ford-murder-trial-begins-today/http://www.evesun.com/galleries/edition/2009-02-02/0202-ford.jpg
Complete story at link

[nanabillie]

http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_031040103.html

[nanabillie]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02022009/news/regionalnews/murder_trial_for_nj_man_in_ny_baby_sitte_153245.ht m


MURDER TRIAL FOR NJ MAN IN NY BABY SITTER'S DEATH

Posted: 4:33 pm
February 2, 2009
A New Jersey man accused of running down a 12-year-old baby sitter is on trial for murder in central New York, with a vehicle tracking device installed by his suspicious wife among the key evidence.
Prosecutors say Shyanne Somers of South Otselic died after George Ford Jr. hit her with his truck in July 2007.

complete story at link

[Roamer]

I think there was more to it. He didn't run her down for no reason.

Nana, please post something from the link in the future. Many people don't have fast access, and they won't go to a link. Thanks.

[LiveLaughLuv]

I think you're correct, there is more to this.

Wifey put a tracking device on hubby's car, thinking he was having an affiar.

Why take a 12 y/o after midnight to see a horse. No. I think that there is much more to that but don't know if this child had been sexually assaulted.

Driving around, in shock, got lost, nah, he may have been thinking up this excuse before getting her to that hospital.

He will be found guilty. How much time does 2nd degree murder hold? Not much compared to a life cut short...

[nanabillie]

http://static.cnhi.zope.net/sites/thedailystar/images/header.jpg (http://www.thedailystar.com/)
Murder trial to begin

By Tom Grace
Cooperstown News Bureau


January 31, 2009 04:00 am

— George Ford Jr., who's accused of murdering a 12-year-old South Otselic girl, will go on trial Monday in a case likely to hinge on evidence supplied by a global positioning system.
At the request of his attorney, Randel Scharf of Cooperstown, Ford will be tried in Chenango County Court by Broome County Judge Joseph Crowley rather than by a jury. The second-degree murder trial will start at 8:30 a.m., according to Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride.
Ford, 43, is accused of deliberately running over Shyanne Somers with his three-quarter-ton Ford pickup truck in the early morning of July 8, 2007, on a deserted road in South Otselic in western Chenango County.
Ford, who lived in Piscataway, N.J., had a summer home in South Otselic. According to police and witnesses, on July 7, 2007, he asked Shyanne to babysit at his house. The girl never made it home, and Ford has said he accidentally ran over her as he was turning his truck around on Will Warner Road at about midnight.
Hours later, on July 8, Ford drove the girl's body to Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich, spoke with police, and was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment.
Later, police learned that Ford's wife, Cindy, had secretly arranged to have a GPS system manufactured by Land Air Sea Corp. installed in his truck.
``She had it put on his truck because she thought he had a girlfriend,'' Scharf, who could not be reached for comment Friday, has said previously.
According to Chenango County Sheriff Thomas Loughren, the GPS contradicted Ford's account of what happened with the girl and led to his being charged with second-degree murder.
``It's like a present from heaven, in determining what happened to Shyanne,'' Loughren said in 2007. ``Ford did not drive the 12-year-old to see the horses (which police say he told them), but instead drove around other roads and spent more than three hours behind an abandoned house, about one half mile from where she was killed.
``While at the abandoned house," Loughren continued. "We believe Shyanne got away from Ford on foot and proceeded down Will Warner Road.
``Ford pursued her in his truck and eventually caught up to her,'' Loughren said. ``Ford drove over her, killing her instantly, driving off the left side of the highway and up onto a bank to accomplish this.''
Loughren said evidence from the GPS shows the girl was murdered at 3:20 a.m. July 8.
``He spend only a few minutes at the scene of her death and proceeded to Georgetown, turned around and drove back to Otselic and down Route 80 toward Sherburne, eventually to Norwich,'' Loughren said.
``The GPS clearly shows Ford driving past the hospital and around the city for a few minutes before actually stopping at the hospital,'' the sheriff said previously.
On Friday, Steven Moehlin, vice president of sales at Land Air Sea, said the product installed in Ford's truck is very accurate and is used by police, as well as employees of federal agencies.
Moehlin said he recently testified in a California robbery case and is tentatively scheduled to testify in this case Feb. 9.
``We did testify for the grand jury in this case,'' he said.
Scharf has noted that while GPS systems may describe locations visited and speeds traveled by a vehicle, they cannot determine what happened at each location.
Ford in being held at the Chenango County jail without bail.
Second-degree murder in punishable by up to 25-years-to-life in prison.

http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_031040103.html

[nanabillie]

Roamer, I'm always afraid I'll post too much. With the copy write laws we are only supposed to copy 10% of an article. My understanding.

[nanabillie]

http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_036040041.html/resources_printstory
http://static.cnhi.zope.net/sites/thedailystar/images/header.jpg (http://www.thedailystar.com/)
Murder trial is delayed

By Tom Grace
Cooperstown News Bureau


February 05, 2009 04:00 am

— NORWICH _ In Chenango County Court on Wednesday, the murder trial of George Ford Jr. was adjourned until Monday to give the defense time to study new GPS evidence.
As Wednesday's session opened, Ford's attorney, Randel Scharf of Cooperstown, said he had just been given four maps created by DEC Forester James Prunoske of Sherburne. The maps purport to show where Ford, 43, drove on July 7 and July 8, 2007, when he was with Shyanne Somers, a 12-year-old baby sitter on her first assignment.
In Ford's truck was a tracking device his wife, Cindy, had hidden there because she suspected he was having an affair. Prunoske created maps using information generated by the global positioning system unit.
Scharf said he needed these maps to prepare his defense and called their untimely disclosure ``a massive discovery violation.''
Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride said he had not known Prunoske created the maps or would have shared them earlier with Scharf.
Scharf asked that the trial be postponed until 9 a.m. Monday to give him time to consult an expert. McBride proposed continuing Wednesday and allowing witnesses to be recalled later, if Scharf wanted to, after studying the maps.
Broome County Judge Joseph F. Cawley, who is presiding in the case, called both attorneys into his office, and when they emerged, they agreed the trial should be adjourned until Monday.
``We're adjourning without prejudice to either side,'' McBride told reporters. ``Because this is a bench trial, there's really no problem doing that.''
When the trial resumes at 9 a.m. Monday, his first witness will be Stephen Moehling of San Diego. He is vice president for sales at Land Air Sea, the company that sold the GPS tracking device to Cindy Ford, McBride said.
``I want him to describe how it works and what it's capable of,'' he said.
Moehling, who testified to the grand jury that indicted Ford, told The Daily Star last month the GPS in Ford's truck is accurate and similar to tracking units used by government agencies.
And McBride has said the GPS data, generated every second, contradict Ford's statements and show he ran Shyanne down as she tried to get away from him.
Outside the courtroom Wednesday, Scharf said he will challenge the accuracy of the geographic coordinates generated by the unit.
``The clock is a world clock and it's extremely accurate,'' but the mapping coordinates are approximate and can be off significantly, he said.
``In this case, they say the spot where Shyanne was hit is 44 feet off the road,'' he said.
In fact, the girl was on remote, seasonal Will Warner Road in Otselic at about 3 a.m. July 8 when she was run over, according to the GPS. The unit also indicates Ford's truck was parked by an abandoned house up the hill for about three hours earlier, police have said.
On Monday, Chenango County Det.-Sgt. Richard Cobb testified that Ford told him he struck the girl accidentally while making a K-turn in the dark, then found her under his front left tire when he got out to lock his hubs into four-wheel drive.
``He told me it felt like there was a rock in her head,'' said Cobb.
Outside the courtroom Wednesday, Scharf said Ford has opted for a bench trial to avoid the passion of a jury trial.
``The death of a child is so emotional, it makes it hard for jurors to reason, �' he said. ``If this were a jury trial, we'd be seeing a lot of photographs of Shyanne's body, meant to get to your emotions, but not to the facts.''
During Wednesday's brief session, Scharf stipulated that a state police expert has confirmed that tire tracks found by the abandoned house match the tread design of Ford's tires.
Scharf said he believes this is the first time a murder case has hinged on GPS evidence.
``Without it, they charged him with first-degree reckless endangerment,'' he said, ``so from that aspect, this case is very unusual.
``We just heard from the Discovery Channel last night because they may want to do something with it,'' Scharf added.
Shyanne's parents, James and Kathryn Somers, have not been allowed inside the courtroom, as they may be called to testify. Other family members said Wednesday that they were disappointed the case was delayed, as the family yearns for closure.
Ford is being held at the Chenango County jail without bail. He is charged with second-degree murder, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of 25 years-to-life in prison.

[Roamer]

Need a link here, please. TIA

[TigressPen]

Roamer, I'm always afraid I'll post too much. With the copy write laws we are only supposed to copy 10% of an article. My understanding.



I have always copied and pasted the complete article with relevant credits information with it - I hope I haven't broken any rules in doing that. :(

I know you can't select, copy and paste or send the whole page from one site to another.

The thing about only posting part of an article is that later sites archive them with only a short paragraph available or remove them. Also many media outlets will delete the pages without archiving them.

That makes it frustrating when a case goes to trial and you want to go back and review previous articles.

[nanabillie]

I know. And it is easier to post a complete article instead of having to decide what to copy. I was just going by what Pauli has listed either on the Talk to Moderator, or maybe Volunteer thread. I do remember she said to be sure and remember the copywrite laws when doing news articles. Sometimes I slip.

[nanabillie]

http://www.thedailystar.com/multimedia/local_slideshow_040154459?keyword=topstory
http://static.cnhi.zope.net/sites/thedailystar/images/header.jpg (http://www.thedailystar.com/)
Defense rests in murder trial


February 17, 2009 12:43 pm

— NORWICH _ In Chenango County Court on Tuesday, the defense in the George Ford Jr. murder trial rested after Ford spent the morning being cross-examined by District Attorney Joseph McBride.
Ford had testified that he drove over 12-year-old Shyanne Somers accidentally after she got out of his pickup truck to look at horses at about midnight July 7, 2007. The prosecution contends that he ran her over deliberately to keep her from telling anyone what had happened that night.
Final presentations by McBride and defense attorney Randel Scharf will be this afternoon and then Judge Joseph Cawley will begin deliberating his verdict in the case. Ford declined to have a jury trial.
Ford, 44, a contractor from Piscataway, N.J., had been a seasonal resident of the town of Otselic for about five years before Shyanne died.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
http://www.thedailystar.com/portal_assets/images_sizedimage_040154423/lg

[nanabillie]

http://news10now.com/default.aspx?ArID=133376
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

George Ford Jr. murder trial continues

Updated: 02/10/2009 06:29 AM

http://images.news10now.com/media/2009/2/9/images/01FordJR.jpg
CHENANGO COUNTY, N.Y. -- A secretly planted GPS unit was the focus of day two of the George Ford Jr. murder trial. The New Jersey man is accused of running over his 12-year-old babysitter near his seasonal home in South Otselic back in July of 2007.

Ford was driving her home a little after midnight when he says Shyanne Somers got out of the car to see his horses on Will Warner Road. He says he accidentally ran her over while turning the truck around. The case turned into a murder investigation after police found the GPS unit that Ford's wife had installed in his truck. Ford's initial statements about the route he took to the hospital and the GPS information didn't match.

The vice president of the GPS provider LandAirSea took the stand Monday. He said that records indicate Ford's truck was going in a slow,
http://news10now.com/Images/watch_video_txt.gif
George Ford Jr. murder trial continues
A secretly planted GPS unit was the focus of day two of the George Ford Jr. murder trial. The New Jersey man is accused of running over his 12-year-old babysitter near his seasonal home in South Otselic back in July of 2007.
http://news10now.com/Images/cart_play.gif (http://javascript<b></b>:watchVid('84614');)



controlled manner down Will Warner Road before it made a left and stopped. Sommers was run over on the left side of the road. He also acknowledged that variables such as terrain and wind can impair the device's readings.

A lieutenant with the Chenango County Sheriff's Department also testified. He said he told Ford that given the poor visibility and rural conditions of Will Warner Road, it didn't seem like a place a child would go in the middle of the night to look at horses. He said Ford told him that that's what Sommers wanted.
The trial resumes Tuesday.

Related Stories

http://news10now.com/images/750.gif http://news10now.com/images/dot_red.gifhttp://news10now.com/images/750.gif2/4/2009 Ford murder trial adjourned (http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/133053/ford-murder-trial-adjourned/Default.aspx)http://news10now.com/images/dot_red.gifhttp://news10now.com/images/750.gif2/3/2009 George Ford Jr. trial begins (http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/132878/george-ford-jr--trial-begins/Default.aspx)http://news10now.com/images/dot_red.gifhttp://news10now.com/images/750.gif1/21/2009 Sheriff's dept. asks for help finding hit and run driver (http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/132124/sheriff-s-dept--asks-for-help-finding-hit-and-run-driver/Default.aspx)http://news10now.com/images/dot_red.gifhttp://news10now.com/images/750.gif8/20/2007 Ford pleads not guilty to second degree murder (http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/33783/ford-pleads-not-guilty-to-second-degree-murder/Default.aspx)http://news10now.com/images/dot_red.gifhttp://news10now.com/images/750.gif8/17/2007 Man faces murder charge in babysitter death (http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/33648/man-faces-murder-charge-in-babysitter-death/Default.aspx)http://news10now.com/images/dot_red.gifhttp://news10now.com/images/750.gif7/11/2007 Ford to go before grand jury (http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/32138/ford-to-go-before-grand-jury/Default.aspx)http://news10now.com/images/dot_red.gifhttp://news10now.com/images/750.gif7/10/2007 Chenango County DA to ask for hearing for Ford (http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/32088/chenango-county-da-to-ask-for-hearing-for-ford/Default.aspx)http://news10now.com/images/dot_red.gifhttp://news10now.com/images/750.gif7/9/2007 Child run over by pickup dies of internal injuries (http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/32040/child-run-over-by-pickup-dies-of-internal-injuries/Default.aspx)

[nanabillie]

http://www.thedailystar.com/multimedia/local_slideshow_049100735
http://www.thedailystar.com/portal_assets/images_sizedimage_049100906/lg
Guilty!!!!!!!!!
http://www.thedailystar.com/portal_assets/images_sizedimage_049100928/lg

[nanabillie]

http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=8300
George Ford Jr. Found Guilty

"It's a great day for everyone who's involved in this case, and it's a sad day and the beginning of the closing for the Somers' family for what happened to Shyanne," said Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride shortly after learning George Ford, Jr., was found guilty of second degree murder in the death of 12-year-old Shyanne Somers.

Ford's attorney says he was surprised at the verdict since a Department of Motor Vehicles investigation and an insurance company ruled Somers' death an accident.

"George feels terrible. He feels bad for the family, you know, Shyanne's family, he feels bad for himself," said Randy Scharf, Ford's attorney.

McBride says there's no doubt in his mind that Ford intentionally ran Somers over with his pick up truck to keep her quiet about an attempted assault he believes happened at Ford's seasonal residence in the Town of Otselic.

DA McBride reiterated the important part the GPS unit played in this case and applauded George Ford's estranged wife, Cindy, for letting authorities know about that evidence.

Cindy Ford hid the GPS in Ford's truck because she thought he was having an affair. Data from the device contradicted Ford's story about where he travelled the night Somers was killed. He claimed to know about the GPS, but it was Cindy Ford who mentioned the device to the police.

"When she did that, she changed everything. So, in that respect, this will always be a landmark case," McBride said.

"Unfortunately, we seem to have more than our share of homicides in our gorgeous county here. You know, we keep using forensics and technology in our favor," said Chenango County Sheriff Thomas Loughren.

Ford's sentencing is scheduled for May 18.

He faces a minimum of 15 years to life in prison.

***

[nanabillie]

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20090219/NEWS01/90219028&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

http://www.pressconnects.com/graphics/mastlogo.gif

February 19, 2009

Update: Ford found guilty of second-degree murder

By John Hill NORWICH -- A GPS unit and a suspicious wife combined to poke enough holes in George Ford Jr.'s story that he was found guilty of second-degree murder on Thursday.

Appearing nervous and shaken, Ford hung his head mournfully and members of Shyanne Somers' family cried out when Judge Joseph F. Cawley Jr. read his verdict. Ford, a 44-year-old contractor from Piscataway, N.J., was found guilty of intentionally running over and killing the 12-year-old girl with his pickup truck.

Cawley, in a tersely-worded decision, said the county had met its burden of proof, offering no further explanation. The judge, who decided Ford's fate after the defendant requested a non-jury trial, issued the verdict shortly after 3 p.m. in front of a packed Chenango County courtroom.

Second-degree murder is punishable by a minimum of 15 years to life or a maximum 25 years to life in state prison. Cawley set sentencing for 9 a.m. May 18.

Tearful members of Shyanne's family embraced Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride after the verdict was read. McBride praised the judge's decision, and said it was "a great day for everyone."

McBride credited Ford's wife, Cindy Ford, and the Global Positioning System unit she placed surreptitiously on her husband's truck the day before Shyanne was killed, with cracking the case.

"Thank God for Mrs. Ford," McBride said, adding "she changed everything."

Cindy Ford hid the GPS unit under the passenger seat of Ford's pickup, looking for evidence of a suspected girlfriend.

Initially, Ford was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony, in connection with the death, but a Chenango County grand jury upgraded the charge in August after Cindy Ford brought forward the GPS evidence.
(2 of 2)

Speaking to the media in front of the courthouse after the verdict was read, McBride said the use of the GPS made the trial a "landmark case."
Advertisement

Defense attorney Randel Scharf described his client as shaken and scared after being found guilty.

"George feels terrible," for himself and the Somers family, Scharf said.

Shyanne, whose family lives less than a mile north of the Ford's summer home on Route 26 in South Otselic, was supposed to babysit Ford's children July 7, 2007, but wasn't needed because Ford's wife Cindy returned home earlier than anticipated.

Shortly after midnight, Ford left his house to take the girl home but said he stopped to show her his horses, which were boarded in a pasture off Will Warner Road in the Town of Otselic.

Testifying in his own defense, Ford said he accidentally ran over Shyanne with his pickup truck while she stood at the side of Will Warner Road.

However, the prosecution -- using data from the GPS device -- argued he actually went the opposite direction and spent more than three hours behind an abandoned farmhouse a half-mile from where the girl was killed. The Chenango County Sheriff's Office said Shyanne got away from Ford and was on Will Warner Road where he pursued and deliberately drove over her shortly after 3 a.m. on July 8.

Ford took a round-about way to Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich; he told deputies he got lost. He arrived at the hospital around 5 a.m.

McBride said he couldn't prove at trial Ford had sexually assaulted the 12-year-old, but he made it clear he believed something had happened in the truck that caused Shyanne to flee. A lack of evidence of sexual assault didn't mean one didn't take place, McBride said.

"He silenced the only witness," said McBride.

Cawley, a Broome County judge, stepped in to hear the case after Chenango County Judge W. Howard Sullivan withdrew from criminal cases due to a backlog in Chenango County Family Court. Testimony lasted seven days.

Scharf said he planned to appeal the verdict, but acknowledged the appeals process would be a difficult road because a judge, not a jury, had issued the verdict.
Speaking to the media in front of the courthouse after the verdict was read, McBride said the use of the GPS made the trial a "landmark case."

Defense attorney Randel Scharf described his client as shaken and scared after being found guilty.

"George feels terrible," for himself and the Somers family, Scharf said.

Shyanne, whose family lives less than a mile north of the Ford's summer home on Route 26 in South Otselic, was supposed to babysit Ford's children July 7, 2007, but wasn't needed because Ford's wife Cindy returned home earlier than anticipated.

Shortly after midnight, Ford left his house to take the girl home but said he stopped to show her his horses, which were boarded in a pasture off Will Warner Road in the Town of Otselic.

Testifying in his own defense, Ford said he accidentally ran over Shyanne with his pickup truck while she stood at the side of Will Warner Road.

However, the prosecution -- using data from the GPS device -- argued he actually went the opposite direction and spent more than three hours behind an abandoned farmhouse a half-mile from where the girl was killed. The Chenango County Sheriff's Office said Shyanne got away from Ford and was on Will Warner Road where he pursued and deliberately drove over her shortly after 3 a.m. on July 8.

Ford took a round-about way to Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich; he told deputies he got lost. He arrived at the hospital around 5 a.m.

McBride said he couldn't prove at trial Ford had sexually assaulted the 12-year-old, but he made it clear he believed something had happened in the truck that caused Shyanne to flee. A lack of evidence of sexual assault didn't mean one didn't take place, McBride said.

"He silenced the only witness," said McBride.

Cawley, a Broome County judge, stepped in to hear the case after Chenango County Judge W. Howard Sullivan withdrew from criminal cases due to a backlog in Chenango County Family Court. Testimony lasted seven days.

Scharf said he planned to appeal the verdict, but acknowledged the appeals process would be a difficult road because a judge, not a jury, had issued the verdict.

[nanabillie]

http://www.wbng.com/news/local/39871622.html
Reaction To Ford's Guilty Verdict


http://media.wbng.com/images/Ford_Verdict_6.jpg
By WBNG News


Story Created: Feb 19, 2009 at 5:32 PM EST
Story Updated: Feb 19, 2009 at 7:42 PM EST

A judge believes George Ford, Jr. intentionally killed a baby sitter.
Multimedia


http://media.wbng.com/designimages/video_icon_red.gif Watch The Video (http://javascript<b></b>:openPopup('%2Fr%3F19%3D950%2632%3D2542%267%3D9257 2%2640%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wbng.com%252Fnews% 252Flocal%252F39871622.html%253Fvideo%253DYHI%2526 t%253Da%2641%3DVideo%2BReaction%2BTo%2BFord%2527s% 2BGuilty%2BVerdict%2B%2618%3D0.5914986028542846',' video','scrollbars=yes,width=800,height=700,screen x=15,screeny=15');)

Ford was found guilty of 2nd degree murder for the death of 12-year old Shyanne Somers.
Action News Reporter Julianne Sweeney has been following the case in Chenango County.
"It was a great day for everyone involved in this case. It's a sad day in the beginning of the closing for the Somer's family, so to what happened with Shyanne." says Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride.
McBride got the verdict he was looking for.
Judge Joseph Cawley found 43-year old George Ford, Jr. of New Jersey guilty of intentionally running over and killing 12-year old Shyanne Somers.
She died on Will Warner Road in South Otselic in July 2007.
"We really get involved, we get really attached to these cases...so this is justice served, and we're very happy with the outcome." says Chenango County Sheriff Thomas Loughren.
The Prosecution used data from a GPS device on Ford's truck to show he deliberately hit Somers.
Investigators claim Ford tested positive for cocaine the night of the
incident.
"The GPS was the latest technology to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that this man intentionally killed that poor girl that day." says McBride.
The defense says Ford hit Somers by accident after she got out of the truck to look at horses at night.
"In a way, I didn't see it coming. In the other way, I did...but ya know, we tried the best case we could." says Defense Attorney Randy Sharf.
Sharf doesn't feel there was enough evidence to prove Ford meant to kill Somers.
He will file an appeal of the judge's decision.
Ford faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison.
He will be sentenced on May 18th in Chenango County Court.

[nanabillie]

He will be sentenced May 18, 2009 www.thedailystar.com/local (http://www.thedailystar.com/local)