Latest news with #Morson
BBC News
27-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Guildford families in need to receive household appliances
Families in need in part of Surrey are set to receive household appliances thanks to donations from a council's construction which helped build Chester Bridge in Ash, has donated white goods including fridge freezers and appliances had been used in site cabins during the development of the Morson, Guildford Borough Council's lead councillor for community services, said: "We're grateful to the team for working with us to support those residents who are particularly impacted by the cost of living." The goods will be distributed by the council's community wellbeing team to people referred to them for Fanawopo, social value and stakeholder manager at VolkerFitzpatrick, said: "I'm proud to share the significant contributions we've made to the Ash community over the past 18 months. "Collectively, these efforts have amounted to a social value contribution of £13m - just over £5m of this went to the local community."VolkerFitzpatrick's team and their partners had also organised Christmas toy drives, provided Christmas trees, made Easter donations and contributed to fundraising for a local scout hut.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Austin crime: Judge reduces murder suspect's bond yet again
The Brief A murder suspect's bond has been reduced yet again this week. Stephon Morson has been charged with the Oct. 2024 murder of Keshawn Cage. This is the sixth different bond amount that has been attached to Morson's name regarding this case. AUSTIN, Texas - A Travis County judge reduced a murder suspect's bond yet again Thursday afternoon. This comes after the district attorney failed to meet an indictment deadline. The backstory Stephon Morson is accused of shooting and killing Keshawn Cage at a South Austin apartment complex in Oct. 2024. Morson was arrested five days after the murder on a tampering with evidence charge and then bonded out on $15,000. Two weeks later, he was arrested for Cage's murder and his bond was set at $800,000. He sat in jail for three months without any movement on his case. The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure states a person accused of a felony must be released, or their bail must be reduced if the state isn't ready for trial within 90 days. Austin crime: Man charged with murder is back in jail after bonding out 3 times New records show DA had more than a week to move murder case forward before indictment deadline Austin crime: Judge raises murder suspect's bond after it was dropped from $800K to $100 The Travis County DA's office failed to meet that 90-day deadline, so his bond was reduced to just $100. The DA's office then requested the bond amount be increased; the judge agreed and Morson was taken back to jail. What we know The day Morson was to put the money up to bond out of jail again, the DA's office obtained a new indictment on a retaliation charge. The defense claimed this was vindictive prosecution. "The irony of the retaliation charge being levied against Mr. Morson is that it was retaliation against Mr. Morson for posting bond," Morson's attorney Brian Erskine said. The judge asked the state why they decided to pursue the retaliation charge now and not during the sentencing phase. The state responded and said, "Matter of strategy." The judge said she agreed it appeared the new charge was in retaliation for Morson being out on bond, but did not rule it was prosecutorial vindictiveness. She said Morson was entitled to a bond reduction though and lowered his bond from $100,000 to $30,000. This is the sixth different bond amount that has been attached to Morson's name regarding this case. What they're saying "I believe that the DA didn't do their job, they had a job to do, they owed it to Keshawn, they owed it to our family to do their jobs. They only to our family to do their jobs, they didn't do their job. "But at the end of the day, the bottom line is this guy should not be free," Keshawn Cage's great-aunt Patricia Muse said. "I'm just ready to get this over with, I want justice for my son, I mean, it's caused our family a lot of pain and will continue to cause pain," Keshawn Cage's father Kerwyn Cage said. What's next The state now claims they have received lab reports indicating the DNA on the weapon and clothing found at the scene has a very strong likelihood it is Morson's. They plan to file a motion and fight for a bond increase again on April 17. The Source Information in this report comes from reporting by FOX 7 Austin's CrimeWatch reporter Meredith Aldis and previous reporting by FOX 7 Austin.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
Austin crime: Man charged with murder is back in jail after bonding out 3 times
The Brief Stephon Morson is back in jail after bonding out three times Morson is accused of shooting Keshawn Cage in October 2024 The Travis County DA's Office missed a deadline, leading to Morson's bond being dropped to $100 AUSTIN, Texas - A man charged with murder is back in jail after bonding out three times. This comes as the Travis County District Attorney's Office filed a new charge against Stephon Morson. His attorney called the move "prosecutorial vindictiveness." PREVIOUS COVERAGE: New records show DA had more than a week to move murder case forward before indictment deadline Austin crime: Judge raises murder suspect's bond after it was dropped from $800K to $100 Austin man charged with first-degree murder gets bond reduced from $800K to just $100 Timeline On October 16, Keshawn Cage was shot and killed at an apartment complex in South Austin. Five days later, Morson was arrested for tampering with evidence in connection to the murder. A couple of days later, Morson bonded out on $15,000. Two weeks later, Morson was arrested for the murder and his bond was set at $800,000. Morson sat in jail for three months and there wasn't any movement in his case. The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure states a person accused of a felony must be released, or their bail must be reduced if the state isn't ready for trial within 90 days. On the 91st day, Morson's attorney asked the judge to let his client out. "You can't hold people indefinitely. There has to be a mechanism. And that mechanism is an indictment. And if they don't present one, clearly they don't care, or they're negligent about the handling of their cases," Morson's attorney, Brian Erskine, said. About an hour later, the District Attorney's Office produced an indictment. "We had challenges with a prosecutor. We took action. That prosecutor is no longer with us. The newly assigned prosecutor immediately got to work, did all the work that it takes to get a case indicted, and did that on the 91st day," Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said. Because of the missed deadline, the judge reduced Morson's bond to $100 and Morson got out. The DA's office then requested the judge increase Morson's bond. On February 19, Judge Eldridge did. Morson's bond was increased to $100,000, and he was arrested and taken back to jail. Two weeks later, on March 5, Morson posted bond, and he was released. The next day, the District Attorney presented a new indictment on a retaliation charge. Morson's attorney calls it a "creation of a charge from the District Attorney's Office." Morson was asked to turn himself in, and he did on March 7. Morson's attorney said the DA's office was "upset that its shortcomings permitted someone to post bond and remain at liberty." He said this violates due process when criminal charges are brought in retaliation for the defendant's exercise of his legal rights. Morson is currently being held on a $100,000 bond. He has a hearing on April 3, 2025. Morson's attorney has subpoenaed the District Attorney and several Assistant District Attorneys stating they need to appear and testify in court. The Travis County District Attorney's Office didn't respond to FOX 7's request for comment. The backstory Stephon Morson is accused of shooting Keshawn Cage in October 2024. Police said it happened at an apartment complex in Southeast Austin and Morson's hoodie, shoes, and the gun investigators believe was used that night were found about 500 yards away. Court documents said a witness told detectives Morson and another person were arguing with Cage, calling Cage a snitch, claiming he worked with law enforcement and got another man locked up. The arrest affidavit said the witness identified Morson as the shooter. Morson was arrested on November 6, 2024, for murder and tampering with evidence. The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis and previous coverage
BBC News
03-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Surrey hospice development benefits from Guildford crowdfunding
A new hospice development is the latest project to receive funding from a Surrey council's local crowdfunding Tuckwell Hospice Care is set to replace its building in Farnham with a larger, more modern facility thanks to £52,335 from Guildford Borough Council (GBC) and its Crowdfund Guildford Peat, director of income generation at Phyllis Tuckwell, said: "This funding will help us to build a new facility that is fit for the future, helping tens of thousands of people across Surrey in the years to come."Created by the council in partnership with crowdfunding platform Spacehive, Crowdfund Guildford was founded to give community groups the opportunity to "imagine, create, and fund projects that matter to them". A total of 27 backers pledged money to Phyllis Tuckwell's Crowdfund Guildford spring round of funding from Crowdfund Guildford is open until 12 Morson, lead councillor for community and organisational development, said: "We want to fund projects that help vulnerable groups, make rural areas better, improve green spaces, encourage people to enjoy nature and improve wellbeing."
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmaker questions Travis County DA after untimely indictment for murder suspect
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Democratic Texas lawmaker is now asking questions to the Travis County District Attorney's office after a murder suspect bonded out of jail for $100. Stephon Morson, accused in an October 2024 murder on Burton Drive in southeast Austin, is back in custody after a judge moved to increase his bond last week. Morson's bond was originally set at $800,000, but a judge lowered it to $100, according to court records. This happened because prosecutors failed to meet a court deadline. Court documents show the $799,900 bond reduction for Morson occurred because the state did not secure an indictment for him within 90 days. 2 murder suspects released after missed indictment deadlines, an explanation According to records filed by Morson's attorney Brian Erskine, 'bail must be reduced to something the defendant can afford,' when this happens. Prosecutors secured an indictment on the 91st day. Following this case, Sen. Sarah Eckhardt's office says she is now looking into how Travis County DA Jose Garza and his office are handling cases. Eckhardt's office sent KXAN this statement: 'Senator Eckhardt—who previously served as the Assistant Travis County Attorney for eight years—has been in touch with the District Attorney about the reports emerging from his office. She has sought clarity about the number of times deadlines have been missed, as well as wanting to know how the district attorney plans to remedy the issue moving forward. She continues to gather information about this situation, but in her talks with the District Attorney, and other stakeholders, concerns about fairness, integrity, and public accountability have not been resolved.' KXAN reached out to the Travis County District Attorney's office for comment, but at this time we have not heard back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
