AUBURN – A Cayuga County court docket choose has heard arguments concerning the violation of the rights of a former member of the Auburn Police Division in reference to a legal investigation into alleged sexual abuse of a minor.
William Morrissey, 33, of Seymour Road, Auburn, stood earlier than Choose Thomas Leone for a listening to that started Tuesday afternoon and ended Wednesday morning concerning his allegation that the Metropolis of Auburn’s inside investigation improperly influenced the investigation by the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Workplace resulting in legal prices.
Morrissey, who had beforehand been an APD officer and training useful resource supervisor at Auburn Excessive Faculty, was arrested by the sheriff’s workplace final yr on prices of sexually abusing a 14-year-old pupil.
After listening to 5 witnesses, Leone requested late Wednesday morning that George Hildebrandt, Morrissey’s protection legal professional, and the prosecution, represented by Cayuga County Senior Assistant District Lawyer Heather De Stefano and Assistant Chief Prosecutor County District Lawyer Chris Valdina, filed memoranda about any violations of rights in the course of the investigation and, if that’s the case, what could be the suitable treatment and why. These memos are due on April seventh.
APD Captain Mark Schattinger was referred to as as the primary witness on Tuesday. Schattinger, the division’s patrol captain, stated he was notified on March 1, 2022, that an nameless letter had been despatched to the police division alleging an inappropriate relationship between Morrissey and a highschool pupil.
Auburn Deputy Police Chief Roger Anthony suggested Schattinger to name Morrissey on the station. When Schattinger and Morrissey met, the officer stated he had no contact with the scholar exterior of the varsity, Schattinger stated. After Schattinger referred to as Anthony about what Morrissey stated, Schattinger took Morrissey to Memorial Metropolis Corridor in Auburn the place a number of metropolis officers have been current to ask him questions as a part of an inside investigation.
Throughout a gathering that included the 2 of them, Anthony, Auburn Police Chief James Slayton, Auburn metropolis supervisor Jeff Dygert, and Stacy Tamburrino, then the corporate’s metropolis councilor, Morrissey was requested if he had any contact with the scholar exterior of faculty. Morrissey later stated sure, mentioning that he gave her a elevate after faculty and purchased her sneakers as a gift for her birthday, Schattinger stated. He additionally stated that Morrissey claimed to have been involved with the scholar by communication companies comparable to Snapchat and FaceTime.
Anthony was the second witness on Tuesday. At one level, he spoke of asking Lt. Matthew Androsko to look into the “technological aspect of issues” concerning the allegations, noting that Androsko later discovered proof of interactions between Morrissey and the scholar on a number of comms. Anthony stated he didn’t give Androsko any details about Morrissey’s statements at metropolis corridor.
After it was decided a legal investigation could be required, Anthony stated, he contacted Det. Lieutenant Robert Franklin of the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Workplace—who was a detective sergeant on the time of the unique Morrissey investigation—however advised him that he couldn’t give him any details about something Morrissey might have disclosed. Valdina requested Anthony why, to which Anthony replied that in his expertise, “it is best to maintain investigations between departments separate.”
Androsko was the primary of three witnesses referred to as Wednesday morning, explaining that he went to the house the place {the teenager} lived. He stated he spoke to the scholar’s grandmother and later to the scholar when he bought dwelling. Androsko requested her if she had acquired any presents from Morrissey, and he or she stated sure and confirmed him her sneakers, the lieutenant stated. Androsko additionally collected two cell telephones from the scholar.
Androsko later famous that Anthony didn’t give him any particulars about what was mentioned at that city corridor assembly, “and even who was at that assembly.” He additionally later stated he didn’t know Morrissey beforehand revealed to have communicated with the scholar by way of FaceTime and Snapchat. The nameless letter talked about Morrissey and the scholar that they’d talk by these companies.
APD Sgt. Christine Gilfus, who runs the Auburn faculty district’s SRO program, additionally testified Wednesday and stated Slayton notified her of the letter on Feb. 28 and watched safety video of Morrissey choosing up the scholar on March 1. The letter additionally alleged that Morrissey had provided rides to college students. Gilfus, together with a college counselor, spoke with the scholar at one level. The scholar stated she and Morrissey have been in a relationship between a pupil and an SRO. The scholar additionally stated she acquired passes from Morrissey, she noticed Gilfus.
Throughout Hildebrandt’s questioning, Gilfus stated she didn’t assume the scholar was being untruthful together with her. Gilfus stated the scholar confirmed Morrissey had given her a elevate dwelling, “which is towards our coverage,” however aside from that, Gilfus hadn’t decided Morrissey’s mistaken actions.
Fred Cornelius, who had been a detective lieutenant within the sheriff’s workplace on the time of the investigation however is now retired, stated he was advised by Franklin on March 2 that there have been allegations towards Morrissey. Cornelius stated he endorsed Franklin to not obtain data from the APD and talked about a gathering at one level between a number of Cayuga County legislation enforcement officers the place he talked concerning the significance of the APD not sharing inside investigation data with the sheriff’s workplace.
Cornelius additionally talked about interviewing the scholar at a number of factors. The scholar ultimately mentioned her and Morrissey’s alleged affair, together with kissing and touching “non-public elements” and illicit digital communications. Cornelius additionally stated that he was not knowledgeable of the contents of Morrisey’s Metropolis Corridor interview and that he acquired no written documentation concerning it.
On March 3, 2022, Morrissey was arrested by the sheriff’s workplace. The sheriff’s workplace stated on the time Morrissey had engaged in “repeated inappropriate habits with a pupil that occurred in and across the metropolis of Auburn, together with Auburn Excessive Faculty, the place he served as a college useful resource officer.” . He was charged with sexual abuse within the first diploma, a category D felony, official misconduct and endangering the welfare of a kid, that are misdemeanors. Morrissey was later indicted in July on one further depend, disseminating indecent materials, a Class D felony.
He additionally was charged earlier this month in a just lately opened Cayuga County grand jury indictment on second-degree legal contempt, a misdemeanor. Prosecutors stated Morrissey added the alleged sufferer within the sexual abuse case to his Snapchat “for analysis” in October, in violation of a protecting order. In the course of the indictment earlier this month, Leone remanded Morrissey. Morrissey was held within the Wayne County Jail at one level.
On Tuesday afternoon, earlier than proceedings wrapped up for the remainder of the day, Hildebrandt and De Stefano mentioned with Leone whether or not Morrissey ought to obtain bail. On the sexual abuse cost, Leone set bail at $50,000 money, $100,000 bail, or $250,000 partially assured bail. Bail for the contempt depend was set at $1,000 in money, $2,000 in bonds, or $5,000 in partially secured bonds, with consecutive ones.
Throughout his Tuesday and Wednesday hearings, Morrissey wore an orange jail uniform, together with a T-shirt that learn “Cayuga County Jail” on the again.
After court docket Wednesday, Valdina stated Morrissey’s statements within the metropolis’s inside investigation weren’t used within the legal case.
“These statements weren’t used within the grand jury, nor was any proof derived from these statements,” Valdina stated.
