Orange County News

For Immediate Release Contact: Christopher Borek
June 1, 2018                            845.291.3276,  845.238.4245c

District Attorney Hoovler Announces Guilty Verdict in Murder Case

Newburgh Man Found Guilty to Murder in the Second Degree

in connection with Botched Robbery 

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Friday, June 1, 2018, Omarrio Morrison, 26, of Newburgh, was found guilty by a County Court jury of: Murder in the Second Degree; Attempted Robbery in the First Degree; two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree; and, two counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence in connection with the shooting death of a man during the course of an attempted robbery on June 21, 2017, in the City of Newburgh.  Morrison faces 25 years to life in prison, on the Murder in the Second Degree charge when he is sentenced by Orange County Court Judge William DeProspo on July 18, 2018.

During the trial prosecutors argued that Morrison had planned a robbery of the victim while the victim was in his apartment on Chambers Street in the City of Newburgh. Prosecutors also argued that Morrison recruited Dejoire Fox, 21, and Tyrees Canigan 17, to commit the actual robbery and had supplied each with pistols.  Both Fox and Canigan have previously pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree.  Prosecutors argued that Fox entered the victim’s apartment to commit the robbery while being armed with a pistol and shot the victim, who later died of a gunshot wound.  Canigan was the lookout for the robbery. 

Orange County grand juries had charged all three men with crimes including Murder in the Second Degree and Attempted Robbery in the First Degree, in connection with the death of the same victim.  Each indictment alleged that each man, acting individually and in concert with others, acting either alone or with one or more persons, did attempt to commit robbery, and, in the course of and furtherance of the robbery, or of immediate flight therefrom, he, or another participant, caused the death of the victim. 

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department for their investigation of the case and the defendants’ apprehension.

“The jury’s verdict was clearly supported by the evidence,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “This defendant planned the robbery and then recruited others to carry it out.  His cowardly attempt to insulate himself from criminal liability failed.  All those who are involved in violence and use weapons, must be held accountable for their actions.  I commend the City of Newburgh Police Department for their investigation of this case. My office will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners to reduce the deadly gun violence which has claimed far too many lives.”

District Attorney Hoovler highly commended Senior Assistant District Attorney Leah Canton and Assistant District Attorney Christopher Kelly who prosecuted the cases.

A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.