NORWICH – Opening arguments in the bench trial of Accused child murderer George Ford Jr. began this morning.

Ford waived his right to a jury trial and has instead elected to place his fate in the hands of Broome County Court Judge Joseph F. Cawley.

District Attorney Joseph A. McBride claims Ford is guilty of the second degree murder his 12-year-old baby-sitter, Shyanne A. Somers of South Otselic.

Ford appeared at Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich at 5 a.m. on July 8, 2007 with the body of the 12-year-old in his pick-up truck. He told police he had accidentally driven over Shyanne while he was showing her his horses five hours earlier, at around midnight.