The CLARK Twins - 2 Months - Montgomery/ Blacksburg VA

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Va.—





A man has been convicted of the felony child abuse of his two 2-month-old twins in Montgomery County.

John
Paul Clark entered an Alford plea in court Monday, meaning that there
was enough evidence to convict him beyond a reasonable doubt.

According to a news release, the
commonwealth was expecting medical professionals to testify that the
male child had a skull fracture, 23 rib fractures, a wrist fracture, and two fractures to his right leg. The female child had a skull fracture, clavicle fracture, seven rib fractures, and two leg fractures. The children were also malnourished.

Clark will be sentenced on July 2. He faces up to 50 years in prison.







Richelle Smith, the children's mother, pleaded guilty in February. She will be sentenced May 7.

Here is the news release from the Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney:

Montgomery
County Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Mary Pettitt announced
today that John Paul Clark was convicted of numerous felony charges
arising out of his abuse of his two-month old twins.

Clark
had been scheduled for a jury trial but instead appeared in court today
and entered an Alford plea, admitting that the evidence would be
sufficient to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He was
convicted of all charges: two counts of felony child abuse and neglect
and two counts of malicious
wounding.

The
Commonwealth expected medical providers to testify that the male child
had numerous bone fractures of varying ages including a skull fracture,
23 rib fractures, a wrist fractures and two fractures to his right leg.
The female child also had numerous fractures including a skull fracture,
a clavicle fracture, 7 rib fractures, and two leg fractures. Medical
providers would also testify that the children suffered from failure to
thrive as they were malnourished from not being fed an adequate amount
of formula.

Clark remains in custody in jail awaiting his sentencing on July 2nd. He faces up to 50 years in prison.

Pettitt stated, “Multiple acts of violence towards not one, but two, premature infants are difficult to comprehend. A lengthy prison sentence is the only guaranteed protection for these and other children.”

Richelle
Smith, the mother of the twins, pled guilty in February to two counts
of felony child abuse and neglect. She is scheduled for sentencing on
May 7th.

http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-man-pleads-guilty-to-felony-child-abuse-of-his-2monthold-twins-in-montgomery-county-20120409,0,1205149.story