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Ferguson takes witness stand in her child abuse trial

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James and Vonda Ferguson appear in a Union County courtroom in Maryville, Ohio Tuesday morning, Aug. 15, 2006. James Ferguson was convicted of child abuse charges and was sentenced to 65 years in prison. Jury selection began in the trial of Vonda Ferguson began Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009.

Staff photo by Marshall Gorby James and Vonda Ferguson appear in a Union County courtroom in Maryville, Ohio Tuesday morning, Aug. 15, 2006. James Ferguson was convicted of child abuse charges and was sentenced to 65 years in prison. Jury selection began in the trial of Vonda Ferguson began Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009.

By Valerie Lough, Staff Writer Updated 1:34 PM Friday, November 20, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — Vonda Ferguson wept during testimony about her five adopted children and the allegations of abuse against her as she took the stand Thursday, Nov. 19.

Ferguson, 46, is standing trial in Clark County Common Pleas Court on 20 counts of child endangering, two counts of rape and five counts each of permitting child abuse and felonious assault.

Ferguson beamed as she testified to adopting her first child when he was an infant.

“He was just beautiful,” she said. “Within five days he was in our home.”

Prosecutors in the case have argued that Ferguson abused her children — hitting them with hammers and sticks until they bled, forcing them to eat excrement and burning them with irons — between 2000 and 2004.

Ferguson testified Thursday that she used only mild forms of corporal punishment.

“I would hit them on the bottom with my hand or with a ruler,” she said. “I’d have them stand on a wall, use time-outs, loss of privileges.”

When asked by defense attorney Jim Marshall about the accusations against her of using extreme forms of punishment, Ferguson denied the charge.

“That’s strange to me,” she said. “I don’t know where (the children) get that from.”

Ferguson’s husband, James, 49, was convicted on similar charges last year and sentenced to 65 years in prison.

The children, now ages 14 through 19, were taken out of the home in 2004 and the couple gave up custody in 2005.

Officials familiar with the proceedings said the jury could get the case as soon as Friday.

The Fergusons had faced the same charges in Union County, but those charges were dismissed in 2007 after prosecutors there conceded that many of the incidents took place in Clark County.

Union County prosecuting attorneys and officials with the Ohio Attorney General’s office are acting as special prosecutors in the case.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0360 or vlough@coxohio.com.

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