NORWICH – During an early afternoon session, the Chenango County Court house was filled with court officials, law enforcement of the Sheriff’s department and concerned community members waited to hear what Judge Frank B.
Revoir would place on the record in the matter of Ernest F. Franklin, Jr. and Heather Franklin, the Guilford couple who allegedly murdered their 16-year-old son. It is alleged that the couple killed their son the day before setting their residence on fire.
• Heather Franklin with representation by Michael E. Trosset based out of Fly Creek began by saying, “Your Honor, we ask that bail be very minimum due to the fact my client now 30 weeks pregnant, with no past criminal record and has been licensed to give care for years, is not a threat to society and will end up having this baby in jail on tax payers money if she can not post bail. With her high risk pregnancy and just miscarrying not too long before, it is important my client receive care that the facility can not provide. Your Honor I advocate strongly that my client be released on her own recognizes or set minimal bail on this matter”.
Revoir asked both Mr. Trosset and his client, that if bail were to be posted would Heather have a place to go. “Your Honor, members of a church organization with relation for years would graciously take her in,” said Trosset. When asked if the people have a comment, Chenango County District Attorney Joseph A. McBride advised the court that, “The defendant’s license was revoked to be a foster parent.” Responding quickly, “Correction your Honor, she withdrew after adopting Jeffery. Her license was never revoked,” said Trosset. McBride continued by saying, “The evidence shows that Jeffery was indeed a handful, and became a big strain in the family because of his countless medical issues.
The defendant even went on Facebook to complain about Jeffery.” When asked what the family was doing prior to the incident, both defendants watched a newly released movie called ‘Manchester by the Sea,’ a film of a death that occurred accidentally resulting in no charges. “When an autopsy was performed, the medical examiner from Broome County could not determine the exact cause of death due to the damage from the fire, but it was clear that Jeffrey did not die of natural causes, meaning there was no debris in his mouth, trachea, bronchi or lungs from the smoke and the carbon monoxide levels were low resulting in a death that occurred prior to the fire,” said McBride. “Judge, I ask that on the matters of this case and her child that the defendant be remanded at this time without bail.”
Trosset said on the record that at this point there is no co-defendant. For the charge of arson he alleged that one must be present at the time of the fire, which he indicated that his client was not. “If my client is guilty of anything it is driving without a license. It will be a long time before this case will go to trial. My client deserves to be let free,” said Trossett.
