Police charge delegate with more crimes

Published 10:26 pm Thursday, September 22, 2016

A state delegate has been charged with 11 additional counts following further investigation, according to Suffolk police.

Morris

Morris

Richard Lee Morris, 47, has been served with warrants charging him with three felony counts of cruelty and injuries to children, three felony counts of child endangerment, three misdemeanor counts of domestic assault involving a minor, and two misdemeanor counts of domestic assault involving an adult female family member, according to a city press release.

The additional charges come after Morris was charged earlier this week with two counts of assault and battery of a family member and one count of cruelty and injuries to children.

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The new charges occurred on various dates in 2016, according to the city press release.

Morris was arrested on the additional charges and transported to Western Tidewater Regional Jail, where he was again given a $1,500 bond and released.

The additional charges involve the same victims as the earlier charges.

City spokeswoman Diana Klink stated in an email Wednesday that Suffolk police made contact on Tuesday with a male juvenile victim, a family member, in reference to a Child Protective Services complaint.

“It was found the victim was assaulted by the listed offender on September 16, 2016, and sustained injuries consistent with excessive physical discipline,” Klink wrote in the email.

At the same time, police made contact with an adult female victim in reference to a Child Protective Services complaint of child and family abuse, Klink stated.

“It was found the adult female victim, a family member, was assaulted by the listed offender on December 23, 2015, when a verbal altercation escalated and became physical,” Klink wrote.

The victim suffered injuries and sought medical treatment, she added.

The alleged incidents all occurred at the family residence in the 300 block of Babbtown Road, Klink said. The investigations remain ongoing.

Morris is a Republican and represents the 64th District, which includes parts of Suffolk and Franklin as well as Southampton, Isle of Wight, Prince George, Surry and Sussex counties.

According to his profile on the General Assembly website, he is an attorney and has nine children.