Fresno man who kidnapped, sexually assaulted a nanny is still not in prison. Here’s why
Joseph Ward, the Fresno man facing life in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a nanny in 2018, has delayed his trip to the penitentiary once again.
Ward was scheduled to be sentenced on Friday but the hearing was continued to Sept. 11 to deal with a motion requesting Judge Kristi Culver Kapetan be removed from the case for allegedly not being fair during his trial, said Ward’s attorney Kendall Simsarian.
A motion for a new trial was also filed by Simsarian.
Culver was not pleased with another delay, and neither was prosecutor Rick Thomas, who objected to another continuance. It’s been nearly a year since Ward was convicted of 12 felonies, including sexual assault, robbery and kidnapping.
Ward, who earned his third strike for his recent conviction, is facing life in prison without the possibility of parole.
His sentencing has been delayed at least six times since being convicted on Aug. 29, 2019. Part of that is because he wasn’t able to find an attorney to represent him. Several lawyers were appointed but declined due to a conflict.
He and his defense attorney Amanda Moran parted ways after the trial.
Culver said she was most concerned about how the delays are affecting the victim.
Ward was convicted of kidnapping, sexually assaulting and robbing a 25-year-old woman working as a nanny in northeast Fresno.
“Dragging the sentencing out is also harmful to the system of justice,” Culver said.
Ward appeared in court Friday wearing a yellow inmate jumpsuit reserved for high-risk inmates and in a wheelchair. Simsarian said he didn’t know specifically why Ward needed a wheelchair, and the yellow jumpsuit was probably because of his unpredictable behavior in court.
Ward had to be removed from the courtroom several times during his trial for being disruptive.
He openly argued with the judge and in a fit of anger, and spit at his defense attorney. He also collapsed while on the witness stand claiming he was suffering from kidney stones. He was checked out by doctors, who couldn’t find anything wrong with him.
This story was originally published August 14, 2020 at 3:56 PM.
