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Justice for Tori
By JOHN MINER, The London Free Press
Family members gasped and sobbed as the jury delivered the verdict: guilty of first-degree murder, guilty of kidnapping, guilty of sexual assault causing bodily harm.
Michael Rafferty, standing and leaning on the inside railing of t he prisoners dock, closed his eyes briefly but showed no expression on his face as he listening to the verdict.
At least two jury members cried after the verdict was read. As court broke up police officers cried and hugged each other and members of Tori Stafford's family.
The nine-woman, three-man jury delivered its verdict at 9:30 p.m.
The verdict means an automatic life sentence for Rafferty, 31.
Tori went missing while walking home from school in April 8, 2009. Her body was found months later under a rock pile.
Terri-Lynne McClintic, Rafferty's former girlfriend who testified she was the one who bludgeoned Tori to death, earlier pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and is serving a life sentence.
Her testimony at the trial contradicted her evidence at the preliminary hearing and in statements to police that it was Rafferty who killed Tori with a hammer after raping her.
The Jury started its deliberations Thursday and returned to court several times with questions, including whether removing a child's underwear during unlawful confinement was sexual assault.
The jury also returned to the courtroom Friday to view McClintic's Interview with police in which she gave graphic details of the sexual assault and killing on a farm lane near Mount Forest.
By JOHN MINER, The London Free Press
Family members gasped and sobbed as the jury delivered the verdict: guilty of first-degree murder, guilty of kidnapping, guilty of sexual assault causing bodily harm.
Michael Rafferty, standing and leaning on the inside railing of t he prisoners dock, closed his eyes briefly but showed no expression on his face as he listening to the verdict.
At least two jury members cried after the verdict was read. As court broke up police officers cried and hugged each other and members of Tori Stafford's family.
The nine-woman, three-man jury delivered its verdict at 9:30 p.m.
The verdict means an automatic life sentence for Rafferty, 31.
Tori went missing while walking home from school in April 8, 2009. Her body was found months later under a rock pile.
Terri-Lynne McClintic, Rafferty's former girlfriend who testified she was the one who bludgeoned Tori to death, earlier pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and is serving a life sentence.
Her testimony at the trial contradicted her evidence at the preliminary hearing and in statements to police that it was Rafferty who killed Tori with a hammer after raping her.
The Jury started its deliberations Thursday and returned to court several times with questions, including whether removing a child's underwear during unlawful confinement was sexual assault.
The jury also returned to the courtroom Friday to view McClintic's Interview with police in which she gave graphic details of the sexual assault and killing on a farm lane near Mount Forest.
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