Ford Guilty of Murder, Arson
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
1A SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2013 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Championships Girl Scouts launch SUNDAY EDITION at stake in hoops ‘MEdia’ column in for Tigers, Indians. 1B Lake City Reporter. 1D Ford guilty of murder, arson shared with Kristy L. Whatley. A Columbia verdict shortly after 7 p.m. man who admitted to law enforcement Faces possible life term County jury convicted Ford of first-degree The trial lasted five days. he poured gasoline on the couch and lit for starting house fire that arson, as well. The jury heard from 20 it. Prosecutors say he escaped south on Ford faces a maximum penalty of life witnesses, including tool- Interstate 75 through a hole he cut in a killed girlfriend in 2009. in prison for second-degree murder, with mark experts, the state fence on the property. The mobile home a minimum sentence of 25 years. Second- fire marshal and Whatley’s Whatley and Ford shared for about one By DEREK GILLIAM degree arson carries a maximum sentence family members, includ- and a half years was off Lake Jeffery Road [email protected] of 30 years in prison. Ford, 46, will be Ford ing Whatley’s mother and and bordered I-75. sentenced on Feb. 27 at 1:30 p.m. in the sister. Getzan argued cutting the hole in the Kenneth Allen Ford was found guilty Columbia County Courthouse. Roberta Getzan, assistant state attor- fence proved premeditation, and the jury Friday of second-degree murder for start- The jury deliberated for about seven ney, began closing statements at 9 a.m. ing a June 2009 fire in the home he hours before announcing it had reached a Friday. She said Ford was a jealous, angry FORD continued on 3A OLUSTEE BATTLE FESTIVAL & RE-ENACTMENT Senators seek pact Back in the saddle on guns measure Group of 4 privately seek compromise on background checks. By ALAN FRAM Associated Press WASHINGTON — A cor- nerstone of President Barack Obama’s drive to check gun violence is gathering bipartisan steam as four senators, includ- ing two of the National Rifle Association’s congressional champions, privately seek com- promise on requiring far more firearms purchasers to undergo background checks. The talks are being held even as Obama’s call to ban assault weapons and high-capac- ity ammunition magazines, the two other major pillars of his plan, are hitting rough waters on Capitol Hill. An agreement among the four senators to expand background checks would add significant impetus to that high-profile proposal by getting the endorsement of a group that ranges from one of the Senate’s most liberal Democrats to one of its most conservative Republicans. GUNS continued on 3A Photos by JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter A member of the Union cavalry escapes with his life as dozens of Confederate soldiers fire on him while awaiting reinforcements during last year’s Olustee Battle Re-enactment. Drive-thru Thousands to mark battle’s 149th anniversary bicyclist time and energy to put every- Festivities set to start thing together. Friday in downtown “It’s been a love in progress,” faces fraud she said, “... working together Lake City. we have been able to do it.” charges A special guest artist from By DEREK GILLIAM the Florida Highwaymen will be By DEREK GILLIAM [email protected] at the Florida Gateway College [email protected] on Thursday to demonstrate he 35th Olustee his painting style. The event A White Springs man tried Battle Festival and will be held at the Allied Health to cash a check drawn on a the 37th Olustee Building. dead man’s checking account Battle Re-enactment COMING The T h u r s d a y , will bring people arts, according to a Tfrom across the country to Lake crafts sheriff’s office City this week. Re-enactors and ■ Complete Olustee and food arrest report. festival-goers, dust off the cos- coverage this week vendors D e p u t i e s tumes and ready the cannon. in the Reporter. will start found the man The Battle of Olustee setting up on a bicycle occurred in what is now Baker on Thursday in downtown Lake in the drive- County 149 years ago, and was City. Artillerymen take shelter in the woods while doling out a steady stream thru at the the largest Civil War battle Friday, the Olustee Battle C o l u m b i a Newby fought on Florida soil. For the of cannon fire during last year’s Olustee Battle Re-enactment. Festival will begin. County Bank, 1720 W US 90. past 37 years, Civil War enthusi- At 9 a.m., a Civil War memo- “It’s the singular event that The opening ceremonies Ray N. Newby, 265 NW asts have flocked to the area to rial service will kick off the two- has the biggest impact of for the festival are scheduled Belfry Court, faces charges of think back on a time long ago. day festival. anything we do in the year,” for noon at Olustee Park in fraud, grand theft and uttering Faye Warren, executive Harvey Campbell, director Campbell said. Downtown Lake City on Friday. a forged instrument. director of the Blue-Grey Army, of the Tourist Development The Columbia County Tourist At 5 p.m. Friday, a Civil Columbia County Bank started preparation for the Council, said between 30,000 Development Council helps the War skirmish will be staged employees called law festival in September. She said and 40,000 people attend the Blue-Grey Army plan and pre- about 100 volunteers donate downtown festival. pare for the Battle Festival. OLUSTEE continued on 3A FRAUD continued on 3A Vol. 138, No. 269 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 Business . 1C5A 9174 6453 Obituaries . 5A PEOPLE TUESDAY SUBSCRIBE TO T-StormPartly cloudyChance Obituaries . 6A THE REPORTER: Advice.Advice & . .Comics . .. 5D8B Springsteen Local news Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles . 4-5B Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A6A Puzzles . 2B shines. roundup. 2A 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER SUNDAY REPORT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2013 Page Editor: Jim Barr, 754-0424 Friday: Friday: Saturday: Saturday: Wednesday: Wednesday: 3-15-17-29 17 9-10-12-14-36 Afternoon: 7-7-3 Afternoon: 1-4-8-6 5-28-29-40-48-51 5-27-36-38-41 Evening: N/A Evening: N/A x4 PB 12 AROUND FLORIDA FDOT issues warning about email fraud TALLAHASSEE — The Gaps in communications in November. Florida Department of systems and networks Sen. Darren Soto on Highway Safety and Motor were evaluated. Also, field Friday filed a bill that Vehicles is issuing an communications were would mandate that email fraud warning. addressed and determina- Florida keep its clock in The agency on Thursday tions made on where to daylight-saving time year- said the public should focus future efforts. round. beware of fraudsters The Orlando Democrat using the department’s said he sponsored the bill name and email address, Flipped-off judge (SB 734) because he gets DoNotReply(at)flhsmv. gets apology frustrated that it gets dark gov, to send fake messages earlier during the win- that look like receipts from MIAMI — A young ter. The bill is called the online transactions. Miami woman apologized “Sunshine Protection Act.” They include bogus for flipping off a judge, Florida, like most other confirmation and tracking who then dropped con- states in the country, fol- numbers. tempt charges and vacated lows the pattern of moving Officials advise citizens her 30-day jail term. clocks ahead one hour who receive who have not Eighteen-year-old in March then revert- made recent transactions Penelope Soto admitted ing to standard time in to delete messages. They Friday she was under the November. may have the department’s influence of Xanax and Soto has little hope his email address or a second alcohol when she made bill will get passed this address that varies and the obscene middle- finger year but said he wants to may look like a personal gesture and rude com- start a discussion about ASSOCIATED PRESS ments earlier this week email address. If recipi- Fourteen-year-old Cristian Frernandez listens while his attorney speaks during a court hear- daylight-saving time. ents already have opened directed at Circuit Judge Soto also said there is a message they should ing in Jacksonville on Friday. Frernandez pleaded guilty as a juvenile in the March 2011 death Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat. a question whether it’s not click any of the links of his 2-year-old half brother. Video of the confrontation legal under federal law for quickly went viral. within it. ter and aggravated battery. his 2-year-old half-brother. hurricane exercise to test Florida to keep itself on The links lead to web- Soto tearfully apologized daylight-saving time. He will remain at a juvenile Authorities say Fernandez the ability of state, local, to the judge, who said the sites that may contain facility until he turns 19 in had been home alone with federal and private emer- malware. The emails are episode should be a lesson January 2018. After that, the toddler when he suf- gency responders to com- in how to properly treat Triple killing a type of spam known as he’ll serve eight years of fered a fractured skull, municate with each other. “phishing.” people. Rodriguez-Chomat probation. Fernandez had bruising to his left eye and Operation Radar II said Soto would have suspect arrested been charged as an adult a bleeding brain. ended Friday at the been a convicted felon if TAMPA — A janitor Teen admits guilt with first-degree murder The boys’ mother, Florida National Guard’s he allowed the contempt and trash collector has and faced a possible life Biannela Susana, waited Camp Blanding Joint charge to stand.