Sentence in 2015 murder of two teenage brothers draws jeers from family in Fresno court
Domenek Greenberry, who was charged with the 2015 murders of brothers Willie Ford, 19, and Denzel Ford, 18, was sentenced to 13 years in prison Monday, despite pleas from the Ford family for a harsher punishment.
“This wasn’t justice,” said Nariah Ford after the sentencing hearing. “They didn’t care about my brothers. They saw them as just two guys with guns.”
Police allege the Fords were shot and killed on Oct. 1, 2015 by Greenberry at an apartment building near San Pablo and Barstow avenues. The Ford brothers, who were armed, drove to the apartment to confront Greenberry because Denzel Ford suspected Greenberry may have been involved with his girlfriend, according to testimony during the preliminary hearing.
A witness testified during the preliminary hearing in 2016 that he saw people firing multiple shots at each other, but he did not know who shot first.
After numerous delays, including new defense attorneys and prosecutors, Greenberry’s trial was scheduled to begin on Dec. 2. But on Nov. 18, he agreed to plead no contest to voluntary manslaughter with a maximum sentence of 13 years and four months.
Greenberry has been in the Fresno County Jail since Oct. 1, 2015 and gets credit for his time in jail. His total prison sentence will be shaved down to about six years.
His sentencing hearing on Monday was packed. One half of the courtroom was full of Greenberry’s relatives and the other half with the Ford family.
Both sides have clashed during previous hearings and several additional Fresno County Sheriff’s deputies were brought into Judge Francine Zepeda’s courtroom to make sure there was no trouble.
Zepeda said she took extra time to look over the transcript of the preliminary hearing and other documents related to the case, including numerous letters from the Ford family.
Several family members said they disagreed with the sentence and wanted Greenberry to face a full trial, where he could have been sentenced to life in prison had he been convicted of murder.
But the judge wasn’t swayed.
“I take this pretty seriously and I did not find anything in the plea agreement or the transcript that would cause me not to accept the offer of 13 years and four months,” she said.
Quickly, several members of the Ford family walked out of the courtroom while others began shouting at the judge and the defendant.
“What kind of punishment is 13 years, that’s nothing,” one of the family members shouted.
Zepeda ordered the deputies to clear the courtroom of the Ford family and friends. Supporters of Greenberry sat silently as deputies led members of the Ford family out into the hallway.
Deputies followed both sides outside of the courthouse to a nearby parking lot where the shouting continued. No one was arrested.
Greenberry was represented by Andrew Williams and prosecuting the case was David Olmos.
