Suspect acquitted in assault • Brother pleas


Thursday, November 25, 2010
Community \| Obits \| Editorial & Columnists \| Society \| Sports \| Education \| Classified Ads \| Calendar of Events \| Features \| Newsbriefs \| Legals \| Archives \| Subscriptions \| Photo Gallery

Suspect acquitted in assault
• Brother pleas

By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer

A brother of a man who pled guilty to the assault of a 91-year-old woman in her home last January was found not guilty by a Marshall County jury Friday after a three-day trial, according to sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

Maquel Donyel Morris, 22, was identified as a suspect by the sheriff’s department. Morris’ brother, Dillon Dewayne Williams, 18, of Warr Road, Rossville, Tenn., pled guilty in the case before circuit court judge Henry L. Lackey during the November term of circuit court, Dickerson said. Williams pled guilty to one count aggravated assault of the victim and one count of burglary of her residence, but has not been sentenced, the sheriff said.

The two brothers had been charged with burglary and the aggravated assault of Pat Crum, who told the court she lay on the floor and played dead to survive after her initial assault. Crum, who lives near Mt. Pleasant, suffered a broken jaw and other facial bones, and bruises about the face and head, as well as trauma to the back of the head, according to authorities.

Morris had done yard work for Crum. She said she heard the voices of two people going room to room, burglarizing her home. She said they forced their way through a back door she had cracked after a soft knock.

The jury found the state was not able to provide direct or physical evidence that Morris was the second voice inside her home. Williams implicated his brother, Morris, in the crime when he pled guilty but was not cooperative with authorities when he was called to give testimony at the trial of his brother last week, Dickerson said.

Morris cannot be retried on these charges, he said.

Report News: (662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
Questions, comments, corrections: south@dixie-net.com
©2004, The South Reporter, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site may be reproduced in any way without permission.
The South Reporter is a member of the Mississippi Press Association.

Web Site managed and maintained by
South Reporter webmasters Linda Jones, Kristian Jones
Web Site Design - The South Reporter

Back | Top of Page