Facts of the Crime:
Raymond Morrison was convicted in the murder of 82-year-old Albert Dwelle. On January 8, 1997, Morrison visited his girlfriend, Sandra Brown, at her apartment. The victim lived across from Brown’s apartment. At approximately 9:00 p.m., Morrison told Brown he was going to take out the trash. Morrison did not return to the apartment.
Morrison was arrested on January 10, 1997 for an unrelated offense. When he was taken into custody, he asked Officer Richardson if the arrest was about an old man. The officer told Morrison it was an unrelated offense but homicide detectives wanted to question him. Morrison was then read his constitutional rights. In the car, Morrison learned Richardson was a pastor at a local church. They talked about religion and the steps Morrison needed to take to get his life in order. Morrison was then interviewed by the detectives about the murder of Dwelle.
While being interviewed, Morrison stated that he wanted to talk to Officer Richardson again. The detectives paged Officer Richardson, who then went and spoke with Morrison. After speaking with Officer Richardson, Morrison gave a written statement of what took place on January 8, 1997. He stated that at 9:00 p.m., he started smoking crack with a man named “Big Man.” They ran out of crack and Morrison knocked on Dwelle’s door and asked him for a cigar. Dwelle told Morrison he could not come into his apartment.
After taking the cigar from Dwelle, Morrison asked for a light. While Dwelle went into his bedroom to retrieve a light, Morrison entered the apartment and followed him into the bedroom. Morrison then noticed some money in a shirt pocket that Dwelle had hanging from a chair. He grabbed the money.
When Dwelle saw Morrison take his money, he picked up a knife and started swinging it around. Morrison then claimed he grabbed Dwelle’s arm and swung him around so he was facing away from him. When Morrison did that, the man began lashing the knife over his shoulder. While doing so, Morrison claimed that Dwelle accidentally cut his throat and then started swinging the knife even harder.
Morrison also claimed that he did not notice that Dwelle had cut himself. Then, Dwelle accidentally stabbed himself in the neck. Morrison then stated that he laid Dwelle down and took the knife to hide it. Morrison then went back to “Big Man” and asked him to drive him out of town. When they got to Marietta, they spent the money on drugs and prostitutes. Morrison was also seen selling coins that resembled coins that were missing from Dwelle’s apartment. They then went back to the apartment complex where Morrison stated that he saw his Uncle Cap. Morrison stayed with his uncle until the police picked him up on January 10, 1997. Morrison later led the police to where he hid the knife that was used to kill the victim.
Morrison was sentenced to death in Duval County on December 18, 1998.
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