Posted on 05/03/2007 1:47:01 PM PDT by SmithL
NASHVILLE – Former state senator John Ford will go on trial on federal public corruption charges in Nashville Sept. 18 – a month and a half after his scheduled July 31 sentencing in Memphis for his bribery conviction there last month.
U.S. District Court Judge Todd J. Campbell set the trial date during a 10-minute status conference today. Ford appeared for but did not speak during the brief hearing. Afterward, he exchanged pleasantries with reporters about his 65th birthday today but said nothing of substance about his case.
Federal public defender Henry Martin said neither he nor Ford would have any comment when they were asked whether Ford intended to seek a plea bargain in the Nashville case.
"Trust me, I’m doing OK," Ford said.
The trial is expected to take at least three weeks. Prosecutors said it will likely take them seven to 10 days to present their case, and Martin said the defense is "looking at putting on witnesses that could take several days."
"It appears to be a complex and lengthy trial," Judge Campbell said.
Ford remains free on bond after reporting into the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services offices after his courtroom appearance.
A federal grand jury in December charged Ford with two counts of wire fraud and four counts of concealing his financial ties to two different TennCare contractors. He has pleaded innocent of the charges.
The case is separate from the trial he faced in Memphis as part of an undercover FBI sting in which the FBI set up a fake company wanting to recycle state government’s old computers and paid Ford $55,000 to help with a bill to help the company win the business.
The Nashville case involves Ford’s work for Doral Dental Services and Omnicare (now United American Health Care) from 2001 to 2005 while serving as a state senator. Ford has acknowledged consulting work for the two firms but contends it was not illegal.
The indictment outlines work Ford did to help Doral win TennCare’s sole contract to provide dental services to TennCare enrollees and work he did on behalf of Omnicare to increase the number of enrollees assigned to the company, which boosted its fees.
The federal indictment says Ford received more than $400,000 from each of the two contractors during the four years he worked with them.
The potential punishment if he is found guilty here is up to 20 years in prison on each of the wire-fraud counts, up to five years on each of the concealment charges, and a fine of up to $250,000 on each.
He faces a potential sentence of 46 to 57 months for the Memphis conviction.
Well, they proved that they could convict a Ford in Memphis, let’s see if they can follow-through.
I guess the Fords aren’t “Walkin in Memphis” anymore. HAHAHA!!!1
Is Bowers next in Memphis?
“Federal public defender Henry Martin said neither he nor Ford would have any comment”
The comment I would like...is why were paying for his defense when he appears to be anything but indigent.
My exact question. Why a public defender?
Federal Public Defender???? Why are the taxpayers paying for his defense?
Your tax dollars at work.
“Your tax dollars at work”
For once I prefer the WPA.
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