AKRON, Ohio — An Akron man accused of killing nine neighbors in a pair of arson fires made a court appearance Tuesday for a competency hearing.
A Summit County judge had ordered a competency evaluation of Ford after a court psychologist's evaluation was inconclusive, and Ford's attorneys claimed medical testing indicates he has brain damage and cognitive impairment. After a 21-day evaluation, a forensic psychologist submitted a nine-page report Sept. 16 determining that Stanley Ford is competent to stand trial.
Ford's attorneys submitted a motion to the court requesting all medical documentation related to Ford's evaluation. Those records have yet to be received by Ford's defense, meaning a continuance was granted until Oct. 11.
Ford, 60, is charged in setting two Fultz Street fires that caused nine deaths, including a family of seven in May 2017. That fire killed Dennis Huggins, Angela Boggs, and their five children, Cameron, Alivia, Kylle, Daisia and Jered. A sixth child, who was 18, was not home at the time of the fire.
The previous fire happened about a year earlier, and claimed the lives of Lindell Lewis and Gloria Jean Hart.
Ford lived on Hillcrest Street, which runs perpendicular to Fultz Street. He was also connected to a vehicle arson that was reported in January 2017, when an SUV was set on fire in a Russell Avenue driveway.
Ford maintained his innocence Tuesday, as he demanded to see the evidence against him.
"I'd like to get this thing over with, actually," Ford said. "...I definitely want closure. It's been a long three years."
"I don't feel like you're prolonging it. First and foremost, I should've never been arrested for something I never committed."
Ford is charged with 22 counts of aggravated murder, two counts of attempted aggravated murder, two counts of aggravated arson, one count of cruelty to animals, one count of arson and one count of aggravated menacing. He faces the death penalty, if convicted.
Ford's trial was delayed as his attorneys have argued that Ford should have separate trials for the fires and that death penalty cases are not "business as usual," claiming the cases are separate and distinct.
Summit County prosecutors say the arsons were part of a common scheme and that jurors should be able to distinguish between them.