Brandon Ward

Brandon Ward

Brandon Michael Ward is a former U.S. Marine convicted of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder for a June 25, 2006 incident in which he stabbed two men, Joseph Hall and Joseph Ruinato. Hall died from the injuries. Ward was sentenced to life in prison on July 19, 2007.

Background

Ward began dating Samantha Sparling, four years his junior, when he was in San Diego for basic training. When Ward was transferred to northwest Florida, Sparling moved to Milton to live with her mother. Ward stayed at her house on weekends.

Party and killings

On the night before the incident, Ward, 19, attended an East Milton party with Sparling, 16. The two became separated at the party. Ward fought and wrestled with other attendees, while Sparling became the subject of aggressive sexual advances by one of the party's hosts, Nick Cote. According to Sparling's testimony, she "gave in" to the advances because "it felt good." When Ward discovered Nick Cote attacking his girlfriend, he came to her rescue. Ward was ejected from the party, by several partygoers, to include convicted Felon Shane Gavaghan, after Sparling told partygoers that he struck her. Though her story was corroborated by other witnesses, she later testified that it was a fabrication to conceal her embarrassment.

Ward testified that, as he drove back to Sparling's home, he received several threatening cell phone calls from partygoers.

After being comforted by others at the party,she was driven to her Munson Highway home by Ruinato, Hall and another teenage girl(Lacey Moores). When they arrived, Ward's car was present though Ward was no where to be seen. Hall saw Ward standing by his car and approached Ward yelling and cursing. As Hall ran towards him to attack him with a knife and a straight razor, Ruinato ran around to attack from the side with Brass Knuckles. When Hall(who out weighs Ward by over 100 lbs) got close enough Ward produced a butterfly knife,in hopes that Hall would back off, after Hall attacked Ward,by punching him in the side of the head, Ward used defensive strikes to get Hall off of him, and ended up cutting him in the arm and abdomen. Hall continued to come forward and fell on the knife and received a fatal injury to the chest. As Ward was going to get help Ruinato came from behind and attacked Ward, again Ward used evasive strikes and Ruinato received three cuts.

Trial

Ward's trial began on May 14, 2007.

Attorney Leo Thomas defended Ward under Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, passed on October 1, 2005, on the grounds that Ward regularly stayed at Sparling's house and was justified in using deadly force. "This is a tragedy for everyone involved. There's no question about it," Thomas said. "But the evidence will show it was an honest case of self-defense."

Thomas portrayed the fatal altercation as being instigated by Hall and Ruinato, citing the former's MySpace page — which had the address "joehallwillkillyourfamily" and featured a violent music video by the band Waking the Cadaver — as an alleged indicator of Hall's violent tendencies. The prosecution claimed that Ward was hiding in the bushes when the others arrived, and that the stabbings were unprovoked.

A jury found Ward guilty on May 24, 2007. On July 19, 2007, Ward was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Ron Swanson to serve life in prison for the murder of Hall. He received an additional 25-year sentence for the attempted murder of Ruinato, which Ward will serve concurrently.