STORY: "Ball found not guilty murder, guilty child abuse," by reporter Trace Christenson, published by The Battle Creek Enquirer on December 19, 2016
GIST: "A Calhoun County jury acquitted Anthony Ball of murder in the 2014 death of 20-month old Athena Ramey, the daughter of his former girlfriend. But on the second anniversary of the child's death, the eight women and four men found Ball, 30, guilty of second-degree child abuse.........Ball was charged with injuring the child on Dec.18, 2014, in the Marshall apartment he shared with the little girl's mother, Briana Richards......... The child died from severe head trauma and prosecutors said she may have been shaken. Ball was caring for the girl while Richards was working and told investigators he had been rocking Athena and put her on a futon while he fixed dinner. When he returned to check her 90 minutes later he said she was not breathing and her lips were blue. "He's not a murderer," Ball's mother, Julie Miller said as she left the courtroom. "I'm glad that is what it is. "We are of course disappointed that there was a guilty verdict," said Portage attorney Kymberly Schroder, who with her husband, Jeffrey, defended Ball. "But not guilty of first-degree felony murder is a huge success for us and for Anthony Ball. We are very pleased with that verdict. It is a 10-year felony but he can still have a productive life and be with his family. Schroder said she expects Ball will appeal the child abuse guilty verdict. Jurors left without speaking to reporters but Schroder said she believes they acquitted Ball of murder because of "the lack of evidence; any evidence of intent or that Mr. Ball directly caused those injuries. If I had to guess, the delay in medical treatment may have led to the verdict in count two. Ball told police after finding the child he drove her 10 to 15 minutes to the adult foster care home where Richards was working rather than to Oaklawn Hospital, a few blocks from their home. The child was then driven by ambulance to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, where she died the next day.........Prosecutors presented doctors who told the jury during nearly two weeks of testimony that the brain injuries to the child were so severe she would have shown immediate symptoms. But a defense witness, Dr. Ljubisa Dragovic, the Oakland County medical examiner, said while he agreed the girl died from head trauma, "I can't give you an idea about how it happened." He also said dark blood found inside the skull might suggest the injury was old. During the trial Schroder argued nothing presented linked her client to the injuries, while prosecutors said Ball was with her during the period that doctors who were called by the prosecution said the injuries must have occurred.
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/news/local/2016/12/19/ball-found-not-guilty-murder-guilty-child-abuse/95619094/
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/