Word of Life case: Sarah Ferguson sentenced to 25 years in state prison

Syracuse.com, New York/September 1, 2016

By Elizabeth Doran

Utica, New York -- Sarah Ferguson, who was found guilty of manslaughter in July in the beating death of her half-brother at the Word of Life Christian Church, was sentenced today to 25 years in state prison.

Judge Michael Dwyer, who presided over the bench trial in Oneida County court, found Ferguson guilty of first-degree manslaughter but cleared her on the second-degree murder charge.

Ferguson, 33, also was found guilty by the judge of two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of gang assault in the beating death of Lucas Leonard, 19, her half-brother. The other count is in connection to the assault on Ferguson's other half-brother 17-year-old Christopher Leonard who was injured from the beating.

Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara asked the judge to sentence Ferguson to no less than 25 years in state prison.

The judge sentenced her to 25 years plus 10 years of post-release supervision.

The brothers' parents, who both participated in the beatings, both accepted plea deals and will get shorter sentences. Bruce Leonard will get 15 to 16 years in prison. His wife, Deborah Leonard will get no more than five years in prison.

In court today, Ferguson sobbed audibly as she tried to make a statement.

"I truly am sorry..oh my God,'' she said as she cried out. She then said she truly loved her brothers,

Ferguson admitted during her trial to taking part in the beating that killed Lucas Leonard and severely injured Christopher Leonard.

The judge today said he has to limit his statement upon sentencing because six other defendants must still go on trial.

Dwyer said that Ferguson took it upon herself to be "judge, jury and executioner" on her brothers and the bottom line is she killed her brother.

"It's inconceivable to me that during this whole incident no one was the voice of reason,'' Dwyer said. "No said tried to stop this. No one said enough is enough."

The district attorney said Ferguson should receive the same mercy her brothers got. She flogged her two brothers in the genital area with the intent to cause as much pain as she could.

"This is the most malicious, callous and brutal beating I have ever seen,'' McNamara said prior to sentencing.

Ferguson's attorney, Rebecca Wittman, said Ferguson is a good mother who never left her children's side prior to this. When Ferguson was told in "excruciating detail" about the alleged sexual abuse of her children by her brothers "she reacted like a mother,'' Wittman said.

The high-profile Word of Life Christian Church trial attracted national attention.

Nine defendants from the church have been charged with beating the two young men for hours on Oct. 11, 2015 in the New Hartford church as part of a counseling session. Lucas Leonard wasn't taken to the hospital until the next day; a doctor testified he could have lived if treated sooner.

Deborah Leonard and Bruce Leonard both described in court how they and Ferguson beat and whipped Lucas and Christopher Leonard with an electrical cord. Ferguson testified also that she whipped the two young men.

Bruce Leonard has testified that his sons were whipped to punish them and get them to confess to accusations that they molested Sarah's children and another teen.

During the trial, Christopher Leonard testified that he inappropriately touched Ferguson's children, but did not rape or sexually abuse anyone.

Ferguson testified that the brothers confessed to raping one of her children and abusing other children. The prosecution questioned whether Ferguson was telling the truth about the abuse.

The remaining defendants are scheduled to go on trial in October.

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