Jury Finds Former Senator Guilty

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NASHVILLE, Tenn.- The jury returned a guilty verdict in the John Ford corruption case Friday morning. The former state Senator was accused of taking bribes to use his position to advance the interests of two TennCare contractors who were doing business with the state.

After deliberating since Thursday morning in a trial that started July 1st, the U.S. Attorney's office said a federal jury in the public corruption trial of former state Sen. John Ford found him guilty on all charges. David Bowling, spokesman for the federal prosecutors, said the Memphis Democrat was found guilty Friday morning on two charges of wire fraud and four charges of making false statements on official documents.

He is accused of accepting more than $800,000 from TennCare contractors Doral Dental Services and OmniCare of Memphis while promoting their interests as a lawmaker.

The wire fraud charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years. The false statement charges carry a maximum penalty of five years each.

During closing arguments Wednesday, prosecutors told the jury Ford had a duty to the people of Tennessee, but chose instead to serve himself. However, Ford's attorney asked jurors not to return a conviction just because his client may be controversial.

Prosecutors believe this sends a clear message to Tennesseans, while the defense expresses disappointement in the jury's verdict.

"This sends a clear message public corruption will not be tolerated in this district, and that public corruption will be aggressively prosecuted in the Middle district of Tennessee," said Assistant US Attorney, David Rivera.

"I'm little disappointed. "I'm very disappointed, and I'm not saying that in any way to disparage what the jury did, but we fought hard, and when you fight like that it's certainly disappointing if you don't win," said defense attorney Isaiah S. Grant.

Ford, who did not testify, is already serving a five and a half-year prison sentence for a bribery conviction in an unrelated case.

Ford will be sentenced at the end of September. In the meantime, Ford will be taken back to Louisiana to continue serving his other prison sentence.

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