Shawn Ford: The Sledgehammer Murderer Gets The Death Penalty

The jury came back with the recommended sentence for Shawn Ford.

The Sledgehammer Murderer was sentenced to death Monday in an Akron, Ohio courtroom. In 2014, Ford was convicted of beating Jeffery and Margaret Schobert to death with a sledgehammer on March 23, 2015. He was the boyfriend of the Schobert’s daughter Chelsea. Robin Harvey, Margaret’s sister was on hand at the sentencing of Shawn Ford and spoke to him according to NewsNet 5 Cleveland.

“Luring someone to their death is a pretty soulless thing to do.”

Chelsea and her sister Jessica were also at the proceedings. Jessica had particularly strong words to say to her parents killer.

“Shawn, to you I say it has been said so many times how good they were to you. They did not judge you, they welcomed you. They loved you as their own and they would have done anything to help you. If they were here today they would forgive you. And I say to you that you may never know the full extent of what you’ve done because what you took from this world are two people who truly saw you as I believe God sees you. Without any kind of prejudice. And that is something you will never get back.”

Shawn Ford had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of the Schoberts. He had also left Chelsea with stab wounds as well as a fractured skull. Last week, the judge in the case had ruled after Ford’s fourth mental evaluation he was competent enough to face the death penalty.

The defense had hoped to use the Atkins v. Virginia 2002 case as precedent. In that case, the Supreme Court had ruled in favor 6-3 that a mentally disabled person could not be put to death for crimes they had committed. It sighted that they would violate their Eighth Amendment Rights. It would be determined as cruel and unusual punishment.

Defense attorney’s had said on this occasion that Shawn Ford’s IQ was too low for him to deemed responsible for his actions. The defense had also argued in previous evaluations that Ford had been shown to have mental disorders from childhood. Shawn Ford Jr. is scheduled to be executed December 29.

What do you think of the case against Shawn Ford? The Sledgehammer Murderer was given four opportunities to prove he had a mental disorder. Does the court system allow criminals too many opportunities to find a way of avoiding consequences for their actions?

[Photo by NewsNet 5 Cleveland]