We received this from John Martin:
Please recall that the version of events which are being related in the media are the county prosecutors version of events as told by the complainant. Ward has always maintained that . . .
1. Yes, he had a gun in a holster at his side and that the only time it was removed was to clear the magazine prior to entering his home.
2. He asked the woman to leave his property three separate times, the last time being the one in which he lost his temper and swore at her before turning into the house to call the police.
3. At no time did he ever raise the gun in the direction of the woman in question.
Note that he was only 9 days out from emergency surgery to repair a ruptured abdominal aorta for which he was med-flighted to Portland, Maine. He was not in a position to either run down the driveway or to “wave a gun.”
He was originally only charged with reckless conduct, yet the county prosecutor (an elected position from which she was recently “unelected”) chose to increase the charges after the first mistrial. Upon his conviction, the judge lamented the fact that the State law had been amended such that he had no latitude to change the mandatory 3-6 year sentence imposed. A feeling reinforced by the statements of the NH Supreme Court justices who could not overturn the process but still felt the penalty did not fit the “crime.”
The woman who pressed charges has her own history of questionable conduct which was not allowed to be brought to bear in Ward’s defense. Doing so would have cast her in the more appropriate light in a “He said, She said” case.
I encourage you to look up Christine Harris of Salem, NH – who was convicted for animal abuse and determine for yourself the pattern of behavior she exhibits.
More information is available on our website http://freewardbird.org including the trial documents. We encourage people to make their own decisions based on available information rather than media coloration or conjecture.
Our organization has four goals:
1. To get Ward home on Administrative Home Confinement for Christmas
2. To get him a full pardon
3. To get his record expunged
4. To change the law so that no one else suffers this same fate.
Our fifth goal has already been realized in getting him reassigned from the State Prison to County jail so that he is out of an unhealthy prison population and closer to his family. A move that was supported by both the current and former town police chiefs.
Free Ward Bird!
There’s always two sides of the story, and this is apparently the other side. It has the benefit of some actual details. Some of which can actually be verified. Which to me is the key. It now appears to be a true travesty of justice.
My wife, who’s addicted to all forms of court/police/investigation shows, maintains that the courtroom is the last place any truth will be told. It’s all about winning for the attorneys, and the rules are gamed such that it is, indeed, a game.
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