William Morva Trial: Closing arguments over, jury to deliberate today

WSLS News Staff
Published: March 10, 2008

Updated 6:04 p.m.

Morva said he had a desire to testify, but on the advice of his attorneys, did not.

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Closing arguments are over.  The jury will deliberate starting tomorrow morning.

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Closing arguments are underway.

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William Morva’s defense team did not need long to present their case to the jury.  They only called one witness, before resting their case, just hours after prosecutors rested their case.

Morva’s defense lawyers called Dr. Mark Ringold.  The doctor has treated Morva for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) since 2003.

Dr. Ringold testified how the disorder impacted Morva’s life.  Dr. Ringold said it took Morva up to four hours to go to the bathroom sometimes.  The doctor described Morva’s case of IBS as moderate to severe, but not life-threatening.

Dr. Ringold also read a letter that Morva wrote him, while Morva was in jail.  In it, Morva pleaded with Dr. Ringold to help him.  Morva wrote that he was “tired all of the time,” losing weight, and worried that he would slowly die from IBS.

Closing arguments are expected to happen this afternoon.

We’ll have updates on what else went on in court tonight on WSLS at 5:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 6:00 p.m.

More information from day 3 of testimony to come.

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The prosecution rested its case this morning, after only calling 25 witnesses.  Then Morva’s defense team asked the judge to throw out the three capital murder charges that Morva faces.

Morva’s defense claims the prosecution did not prove the murders of hospital security guard Derrick McFarland, and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Corporal Eric Sutphin were pre-meditated, meaning Morva thought about them ahead of time.

The judge denied the motion.  The defense lawyers then asked about “scheduling,” and the judge went back into his chambers.

Day three of testimony began with some gruesome details about the gun and DNA evidence police collected, as well as a letter written by Morva to his mother, that seems to foreshadow that he was thinking about escaping.

Montgomery County Investigator Brad Roop told the court about the letter.  It’s dated September 14th, 2005.  That’s a year before the murders, when Morva was in jail on robbery charges.

In that letter, Morva describes the tough conditions in the jail as “hell-like,” and writes that he was slapped in the face and “just had to take it.” Morva tells his mother that his Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is causing him problems, and the jail did not have a toilet that he can use.  Morva also wrote that he passed out multiple times from fatigue, due to the IBS.

Morva also writes in the letter that he thought he was going to die, and if he did he was not going alone.  Morva’s letter read quote, “I’ll kick an unarmed guard in the neck,” end quote.  The letter went on to say that Morva would stomp that guard until he died.

At the end of the letter, Morva asked his mother to tell his brother, Michael Morva, not to do anything unless William told him to.  William Morva also wrote that Michael would know what William meant.

Three forensic experts also testified.  They told the court DNA found on the trigger and grip of the gun that officers found with William Morva, matches the DNA of the suspected killer.

The forensic experts also testified that bullets found at Montgomery Regional hospital, as well as inside Derrick McFarland and Corporal Sutphin, match the bullets of the gun found with Morva.

Medical examiner Doctor Gregory Wagner performed the autopsies on both Corporal Sutphin and McFarland.  Doctor Wagner says both men died instantly, after being shot in the head.

The forensic experts also testified that Derrick McFarland was shot from less than two feet away.  The experts added that DNA found on a towel found near Corporal Sutphin’s body, also matched Morva.

One light moment in the courtroom happened while state crime lab forensic scientist David Gibbs was on the stand.  Gibbs is a scientist of firearm and tool mark identification.  He testified about the gun found with Morva, and how they matched the bullets to the gun.  While on cross-examination Tony Anderson, one of Morva’s defense lawyers, asked Gibbs about his vineyard.  Gibbs responded that he was still waiting for Anderson to come and visit.  Many in the courtroom laughed at the exchange.  William Morva appeared visibly angry over it.

We’ll have updates on what else went on in court tonight on WSLS at 5:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 6:00 p.m.