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Wednesday, November 26, 1997

Morris pleads innocent to breaking probation

By MELISSA WILLIAMS / Associated Press Writer

ROCKWALL, Texas (AP) -- Bam Morris of the Baltimore Ravens pleaded innocent Tuesday to charges that he violated his 1996 probation on a marijuana conviction.

Rockwall County District Attorney Ray Sumrow said Morris assaulted a woman in Maryland, drank alcohol and failed to report to his probation officer seven times from July 1996 to August 1997.

State District Judge Sue Pirtle scheduled a Jan. 12 trial to consider whether the 25-year-old running back's probation should be revoked.

Pirtle could sentence Morris to up to 10 years' imprisonment and up to a $10,000 fine for the drug conviction. The judge also could choose to place Morris back on probation.

Morris remains free on $500,000 bond and pretrial motions in the case will be heard Dec. 30.

In a 20-minute hearing, Morris stood with his hands in his pockets and lawyer Keith Wheeler at his side as his parents watched from the front row.

He was arraigned on the new charge that he broke probation by assaulting April Dawn Brittain of Dallas at a Nov. 16 birthday party in Baltimore. Brittain, 27, accuses Morris of choking her after she had a confrontation with Morris' wife.

A hearing on that charge is scheduled for Dec. 17 in Maryland. The misdemeanor is punishable by a $2,500 fine and up to 10 years in prison.

Sumrow said Tuesday he decided to add the Maryland assault charge to the list of alleged violations because it involves an actual criminal charge, not merely acts prohibited by Morris' probationary terms.

And he noted that because Morris already pleaded guilty to the third-degree felony marijuana charge, prosecutors will have to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he violated probation, instead of meeting the higher standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt."

"If our evidence tips the scales, then we win," Sumrow said.

He said he has witnesses who will testify that Morris was seen drinking on Jan. 1, 1997, and will use the assault charge in his case regardless of how Maryland prosecutors proceed.

Morris' troubles with the law began in March 1996 in Rockwall, about 25 miles east of Dallas, when police found six pounds of marijuana and one gram of cocaine in his car. The player had been headed toward his hometown of Cooper, 75 miles northeast of Dallas.

On June 27, 1996, he pleaded guilty to felony possession of marijuana in an agreement that dropped a charge of cocaine possession. He was fined $7,000 and sentenced to 200 hours of community service and six years' probation.

The Pittsburgh Steelers cut Morris after his arrest and he signed with Baltimore in September 1996, rushing for 737 yards and scoring five touchdowns.

But he was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of this season after a drug test in January revealed alcohol use. This year, he leads the Ravens with 517 yards on 126 carries.

Morris starred at Texas Tech before entering the NFL. In 1993, he won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top college running back.