Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 5, 1993 TAG: 9310060325
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER|
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Morehead, 22, also received an additional 44 years in prison on charges of robbing Lorna Raines Crockett, attempting to rob and conspiring to rob a Blacksburg pizza manager and two charges of using a firearm to commit a felony.
Before imposing the sentence, Circuit Judge Kenneth Devore asked Morehead if he had anything to say.
``Sir, I feel that I wasn't given a fair trial in Montgomery County due to the overpublicized case,'' Morehead responded. It was one of the few times he has spoken in court appearances over the past year.
Minutes before Morehead made that brief statement, his attorney, Jeff Rudd of Roanoke, made the same argument but in more detail.
Rudd asked Devore to reduce the jury's sentence, saying the verdict was not in proportion to the role Morehead played in the two crimes.
Crockett, 32, manager of a Shoe Show store in Christiansburg, was robbed, abducted and shot to death after making a night deposit at the First National Bank branch at Hills Plaza.
Crockett, a married mother of three sons, was found dead in her car the next morning.
Rudd had asked the judge to move Morehead's trial out of Montgomery County, citing intensive media coverage of the case. He told Devore on Monday that each juror knew something about the case before hearing the evidence, including details of the circumstances and the sentences received by two co-defendants.
William Ray Smith, 19, of Pulaski County, received life in prison plus 70 years after pleading no contest to the charges.
Katina Lynn Zelenak, 21, of Christiansburg, was sentenced to life plus 16 years.
Rudd suggested that Morehead's sentence at least be reduced to equal Zelenak's. Rudd said Morehead told authorities he was surprised when Smith jumped out of a car and ran toward Crockett, then forced her to drive her car to nearby Falling Branch Road.
The jury acquitted Morehead on the abduction charge.
Rudd argued that Crockett was shot minutes after Smith abducted her. He said that Morehead, who was in Zelenak's car, was not aware that she was going to be shot.
Rudd told Devore that Morehead is artistically talented, a writer of poetry. His family, Rudd said, is ``heartbroken, mystified and confused'' over the charges Morehead faces, Rudd said.
``Mr. Morehead is not the heathen he's been made out to be'' by prosecutors and the media, Rudd said. ``Mr. Morehead's involvement has been blown way, way out of proportion.''
During Morehead's trial, Phil Keith, Montgomery County commonwealth's attorney, characterized Morehead, Smith and Zelenak as ``hoodlums on the loose,'' who planned to rob Hills Department store, dropped that plan when it proved too risky, killed Crockett, then drove to Blacksburg with plans to rob restaurant manager Stuart Arbuckle while he made a deposit for Domino's Pizza.
The judge told Morehead it was ``a vicious and violent act that you took part in.''
Morehead showed no reaction when Devore told him ``there are a lot of people that are heartbroken over your actions.''
Morehead isn't finished with court. He plans to appeal the Montgomery County verdicts and also faces two robbery charges in Pulaski County.
A Nov. 8 jury trial is scheduled for the first case - a charge that he robbed Jim's Steakhouse manager Jim Duke in May 1992.
On Dec. 17, Morehead will be tried on additional charges of robbery, malicious wounding, conspiracy to commit robbery and wearing a mask during commission of a robbery in a case involving the theft of almost $2,500 from Pizza Hut manager Mike Frost and another employee who were making a night deposit in Pulaski, also in May 1992.
Zelenak, Morehead's former girlfriend, will face trial on similar charges. Her trial dates won't be set until the November term.
Another defendant in the Duke robbery, Brent Alan Cook, 20, already has been convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Zelenak said she drove Morehead to the bank where he robbed Frost and that Cook was with them. She was the only witness to link Morehead to those robberies. Frost and Duke said they could not recognize their masked assailants.
by CNB