Man faces sentencing in OH murder case that hinged on paralyzed victim blinking to ID shooter

CINCINNATI – An Ohio man found guilty in a murder trial that hinged on a paralyzed victim blinking his eyes to identify his shooter is scheduled to be sentenced.

A jury last month convicted Ricardo Woods, 35, of murder and felonious assault in the death of David Chandler who was shot Oct. 28, 2010, as he sat in a car in Cincinnati. Woods, who has continued to maintain he is innocent, faces up to life in prison on Thursday.

Police interviewed Chandler after he was shot in the head and neck and only able to communicate with his eyes. Chandler died about two weeks later.

During the trial, jurors viewed the videotaped police interview that prosecutors say showed Chandler blinked three times for “yes” to identify a photo of Woods as his shooter. The defence had tried to block the video, saying Chandler’s blinks were inconsistent and unreliable.

A doctor who treated Chandler testified that Chandler was able to communicate clearly about his condition. But the defence argued that Chandler’s condition and drugs used to treat him could have affected his ability to understand and respond during the police interview.

A jailhouse informant testified that Woods told him he shot at Chandler because he caught him buying drugs from someone else while still owing Woods money for drugs. But the defence argued that the informant, who faced armed robbery charges, was trying to use testimony against Woods to get a lighter sentence for himself. Defence attorneys also said Chandler stole drugs from other dealers and had many enemies.

Woods attorney, Kory Jackson, has said there will be an appeal.