NORWICH – The murder trial of George Ford Jr. began Monday with the defense claiming there’s no evidence to support any sexual misconduct in what they say was the accidental death of a 12-year-old girl.

Ford, 43, of Piscataway, N.J., is charged with second degree murder in the July 2007 death of 12-year-old babysitter Shyanne Somers of Otselic. Ford has waived his right to a jury trial, electing instead to have the verdict decided solely by Broome County Judge Joseph F. Cawley.

On objection to the prosecution’s line of questioning, the defense raised a pressing point on the very first witness called.

“There isn’t a single stitch or thread of evidence that any sexual abuse took place,” said attorney Randel Scharf of Cooperstown.

Scharf went on to report that the Sheriff’s Office and New York State Police had searched the alleged crime scene and subjected his client to multiple medical examinations which failed to yield any evidence of inappropriate contact. The prosecution has suggested that Ford deliberately ran over the girl with his truck to keep her from telling what had happened between them that night.

During the day’s proceedings, District Attorney Joseph A. McBride had Chenango County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Richard M. Cobb read the entire five-page statement signed by Ford just over four hours after he arrived at Chenango Memorial Hospital with the victim’s body on July 8, 2007.