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Thread: John Michael Ward - Alabama

  1. #1
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    John Michael Ward - Alabama






    Facts of the Crime:

    On April 22, 1997, John Michael Ward murdered his own baby Nicholas.

    “On April 22, 1997, at 7:28 A.M. an operator at the Baldwin County 911 Center received a call from Michelle Milner Ward, who stated that her baby was not breathing. Ten minutes later paramedics arrived at the Wards residence, a 16' x 7' travel trailer. After receiving Nicholas Ward's body from John Michael Ward (hereinafter ‘Ward’) the paramedics attempted resuscitation by intubation while en route to the South Baldwin Regional Medical Center. The emergency room attending physician, Dr. Robert Revel, examined the infant determining that he was not breathing, had no pulse, was cold to the touch and had rigor mortis. The doctor pronounced the child dead on arrival. In addition to the lack of vital signs, Dr. Revel observed abrasions on Nicholas's scalp, nose and mouth area, pus-like material in his eyes, blood in the ears, bruises on the neck and chest, stool in the diaper, a deformity on his right arm, and crusty material in some nail beds.

    “Dr. James Downs, the state medical examiner, performed the autopsy on Nicholas. He photographed and videotaped the body during the course of the autopsy. The pictures recorded the various injuries to the baby's body. From the autopsy procedure, Dr. Downs concluded that Nicholas had been an infant that failed to thrive. In addition, the child suffered multiple fractures to the arms and ribs and damage to the toenails and fingernails. He opined that Nicholas suffered a spiral fracture of the right arm the day before death. Dr. Downs determined the cause of death to be multiple blunt force injuries and suffocation.

    Ward was sentenced to death in 1999.

  2. #2
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    The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals remanded Ward's case back to the trial court for evidentiary hearings in an opinion issued on October 1, 2010.

    Opinion is here:

    http://scholar.google.com/scholar_ca...40999479022314

  3. #3
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JLR's Avatar
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    Remanded again on the 10th of February 2017.

    https://cases.justia.com/alabama/cou...?ts=1486765814

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    Moderator Bobsicles's Avatar
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    Ward’s petition to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals over the denial of his post-conviction relief has been denied.

    https://law.justia.com/cases/alabama...r-18-0316.html
    Thank you for the adventure - Axol

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    Moderator Bobsicles's Avatar
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    Man who murdered 4-month-old son in 1997 dies on Alabama Death Row

    By Warren Kulo
    AL.com

    A Baldwin County man who was convicted in 1998 of killing his 4-month-old son and sentenced to death has died on death row, the Alabama Department of Corrections confirmed Thursday afternoon.

    The ADC said corrections officers found 58-year-old John Michael Ward unresponsive in his cell Tuesday night.

    Ward was transported to the health care unit, but was ultimately transported outside the prison to a hospital, where life-saving measures were initiated.

    Wednesday, Ward was pronounced dead by the attending physician, the ADC said.

    The Law Enforcement Services Division is investigating the death and an autopsy will be performed.

    Ward had been on death row for 26 years and 4 months, according to the ADC, after being sentenced to death by a Baldwin County jury in December 1998 for the murder of his infant son, who an autopsy revealed was smothered to death in January 1997, according to court records.

    Court records also show that when the child, Nicholas Ward, was brought to the hospital by John Michael Ward and the mother, the child was not breathing, had no pulse, was cold to the touch and rigor mortis had already begun to set in.

    In addition to finding no vital signs, the attending physician found abrasions on Nicholas’ scalp, nose and mouth, what appeared to be pus in his eyes, blood in his ears, bruises on the neck and chest, stool in his diaper, a deformity of his right arm and crusty material under some of his nails.

    The condition of the child prompted medical personnel to contact the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, which launched the investigation which ultimately led to John Michael Ward’s conviction for capital murder.

    https://www.al.com/news/2023/08/man-...outputType=amp
    Thank you for the adventure - Axol

    Tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn’t even matter - Linkin Park

    Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever. - Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt

    I’m going to the ghost McDonalds - Garcello

  6. #6
    Administrator Aaron's Avatar
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    Some of the antis on Twitter are trying to say he was innocent and that the son died from pneumonia. I guess that completely belies the child's myriad injuries, just as they insist Melissa Lucio is innocent despite the mountain of medical evidence that says otherwise.
    Don't ask questions, just consume product and then get excited for next products.

    "They will hurt you. They will hurt your grandma, these people. The root cause of this is there's no discipline in the homes, they don't go to school, you know, they live off the government, no personal accountability, and they just beat people up for no reason, and it's disgusting." - Former Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters

  7. #7
    Moderator Bobsicles's Avatar
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    They say every death row inmate is innocent, even the ones with 100% confirmed guilt such as Anthony Sanchez, Ivan Cantu, Blaine Milam, Julius Jones and Rodney Reed
    Thank you for the adventure - Axol

    Tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn’t even matter - Linkin Park

    Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever. - Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt

    I’m going to the ghost McDonalds - Garcello

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