A defense attorney for the inmate convicted Friday of murdering a correctional officer may take the stand before sentencing and testify on behalf of his own client next week in Howard Circuit Court.
Brandon Morris, 22, of Baltimore City, will be sentenced next week for murdering Officer Jeffery Wroten, 44, while escaping from Washington County Hospital in January 2006.
Morris? initial trial was scheduled for May 31, but it was postponed when he tried to escape the courtroom during jury selection.
Retired Anne Arundel Circuit Judge Joseph Manck would not allow prosecutors to address the May escape attempt during this week?s trial because it could have swayed the jury.
But he ruled Friday that the incident can be addressed during sentencing because it shows Morris? potential to be dangerous while incarcerated.
Defense attorney Harun Shabazz could testify because he disputes prosecutors? allegations that Morris reached for a deputy sheriff?s gun as he was running for the courtroom door. Shabazz was sitting next to Morris.
Morris? other attorney Arcangelo Tuminelli said prosecutors were “opening a can of worms.”
“You can?t be a witness in a case in which your client is a party,” he said
Shabazz?s “credibility is going to be diminished before the jury because he?s an attorney for the defendant.”
Tuminelli said Morris would have grounds to appeal his sentence.
Morris must decide Tuesday whether he wants to be sentenced by the judge or jury.
The Howard jury found Morris guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree felony murder during the course of a robbery, and first-degree murder during the course of an escape.
The maximum penalty of each count is execution.
Morris also was found guilty on 30 lesser charges involving the assault of a woman he took hostage and the armed carjacking of a cab driver.
