People v. Ford

The defendant was found guilty of the charge of endangering the welfare of a child, in violation of section 260.10 of the Penal Law, a misdemeanor, after 3 days of testimony in a nonjury trial before me.

He had originally been accused of the felony of rape in the first degree (Penal Law, § 130.35). Following a preliminary hearing before another Judge at which the 14-year-old complainant and a gynecologist testified, the court dismissed the rape charge but directed that the defendant be tried on the remaining charges.

At the earlier hearing and on the first day of trial, the complainant,…