1999-04-16

The 7th Court of Appeals in Amarillo ruled October 25th to uphold the conviction of Michele Morris for murdering her husband in Randall county, despite her contention she was trying to stop his suicide.

She will serve a 35-year sentence in prison.

Morris argued evidence in the case was insufficient for the conviction and 47th judge David Gleason failed to instruct the jury to consider conviction on the lesser offense of manslaughter or the possibility of self defense.

Morris, who just months before had won the republican senatorial medal of freedom was convicted in December 1999.

In the punishment phase of her trial, Morris testified that she didn't see her husband's death but in a taped statement to police she said he was trying to stab himself in the chest. When she approached, he put her hands on the knife and plunged it into his chest, Morriss said.

Danny Morris, 24, died from wounds April 16, 1999, following a night of fighting with his wife who was 19 years old at the time, according to testimony at trial.

The appeals court ruled the evidence was not without contradiction but sufficient for conviction.

On the matter of Gleason not instructing the jury to consider a lesser offense, the court ruled simply denying the greater crime does not meet the requirement evidence must be presented of the lesser crime

Michele Morris' claims she struggled with her husband to prevent his suicide and later that she had nothing to do with the death were not persuasive