Date of Offense: 04/06/97
Date of Sentence: 06/03/99
Circumstances of Offense:
James Ford and Greg Malnory were
co-workers at the South Florida Sod Farm in rural Charlotte County.
Ford made plans to go fishing on the sod farm with Greg and his wife Kim
on 04/06/97.
On 04/07/97, the bodies of Greg
and Kim Malnory were found in a field near a pond at the sod farm. The
22-month-old daughter of the Malnorys was found alive, but exposed to
the elements, in the Malnory’s truck.
The medical examiner testified
that Greg Malnory had been shot in the back of the head with a bullet
from a .22 caliber rifle, bludgeoned at least seven times with an axe,
and then had his throat slit. Kim Malnory was raped, then bludgeoned
with an axe nine times in the head by Ford, who then put the barrel of
the .22 caliber rifle in her mouth and pulled the trigger.
Ford was linked to the crimes by
being seen on the same day of the murder with blood on his face, hands,
and clothes. Also, a significant amount of DNA evidence, mostly from
the sexual offenses, was found at the crime scene and matched Ford’s
DNA. Additionally, the .22 caliber rifle used in the murders belonged
to Ford.
Trial Summary:
04/30/97
Indicted as follows:
Count I First-Degree
Murder
Count II First-Degree
Murder
Count III Armed Sexual
Battery
Count IV Child Abuse
03/08/99
Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment
04/23/99
Jury recommended a death sentence for each count by votes of 11-1
06/03/99
Sentenced as follows:
Count I First-Degree
Murder – Death
Count II First-Degree
Murder – Death
Count III Armed Sexual
Battery – 19 years, 9 months, 15 days
Count IV Child Abuse – 5
years
Case Information:
Ford filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 07/01/99,
citing the following errors: improper prosecution comments during the
closing arguments of the guilt and penalty phases of trial; the
correctness of charging Ford with Child Abuse; insufficient evidence to
support the finding of the cold, calculated, and premeditated murder
aggravating circumstance; and failure to consider all mitigating
evidence. The FSC affirmed the convictions and sentences on 09/13/01.
Ford filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court
on 03/13/02 that was denied on 05/28/02.
Ford filed a 3.851 Motion with the Circuit Court on 05/28/03 that was
denied on 07/12/04.
Ford filed a 3.851 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on
08/16/04 that is pending.
Floridacapitalcases.state.fl.us
