Morris arraigned on attempted murder charges

Medical issues will be “huge part” of defense

By MARY GREENE

NARROWSBURG, NY — The allegations are that in the early morning hours of February 3, William “Chris” Morris fired a high-caliber rifle at sheriff’s deputy Cyrus Barnes seated in his car outside the Morris home. The bullet lodged into the seat inches from the deputy. Then another shot was fired.

Morris was indicted by a grand jury on May 31, said James Farrell of the Sullivan County District Attorney’s office, and he was arraigned on June 1 on two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, two counts of aggravated assault and two weapons charges. Morris has pleaded not guilty.

The defendant has been remanded without bail. If convicted, Morris could face a minimum sentence of 20 years to life for each of the two attempted murder charges, which are “A-1 felonies,” said Farrell. If given the maximum, Morris could face 40 years to life for each count.

“Obviously, we are treating this as a very serious matter,” said Farrell.

Morris has been held in the Sullivan County Jail since the incident, which ended when he voluntarily surrendered to police at the home he shared with his wife, Jane Morris, on Route 97.

The question of why the standoff occurred has not been answered.

Jane Morris said she is outraged by the treatment her husband is getting at the hands of the police and the county.

“Chris is sick and he needs help,” she said. “He does not deserve to be in prison for 20-plus years.”

Morris received a diagnosis of advanced-stage lyme disease six years ago, said Jane, and the couple has searched for adequate care ever since, visiting doctors in New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey. “We’ve been all over,” she said. “We’ve not been sitting on our laurels.”

Stephan Schick, of Sullivan Legal Aid Panel, Inc. in Monticello, is representing Morris. He said the medical issues faced by Morris would be a “huge part” of the defense. “My defendant has no criminal record,” he said. “He’s a middle-aged guy with a long history of lawful and hard-working behavior.”

Does the DA anticipate a defense based on medical issues? “This has been raised,” said Farrell, “but until the defendant has been evaluated by a psychiatrist, I can make no comment.”

Morris received preliminary evaluation by county psychiatrists as a part of court proceedings, and been found competent to stand trial. This means, said Farrell, that he can understand the proceedings and assist his attorney in making his defense.

Schick said normally two psychiatrists are employed to evaluate a person awaiting trial, but in this case three were used. “The first psychiatrist said yes, he’s competent, but the second said no. So they brought in a third, who said yes.

“My client has no motive,” said Schick. “He wasn’t trying to murder anybody.”

In New York State, “no motive is needed for conviction,” said Schick, although “a jury can take it into consideration when taking in all the facts.”

A trial date will be set for late in the summer or early fall, after the discovery phase has been completed, said Schick.