NEW YORK
Times Telegram
By Micaela Parker mparker@uticaod.com
UTICA – The defense and prosecution agreed on one thing: Sarah Ferguson whipped her brothers during a counseling session at Word of Life Christian Church last year that ultimately claimed the life of one and severely injured the other.
In his Tuesday verdict, delivered following an eight-day bench trial, Judge Michael Dwyer found Ferguson guilty on five counts connected to the October incident in which 19-year-old Lucas Leonard and 17-year-old Christopher Leonard were whipped inside the Chadwicks church. It was on the most serious charge of second-degree murder, however, one that required him to find Ferguson was aware of Lucas’ risk of death and disregarded it, that Dwyer disagreed and found her not guilty.
“The court does not feel there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that this defendant was aware of the risk of Lucas’ death,” he said. “The defense has proven all the other elements but this single one. Therefore, the court must find the defendant not guilty.”
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