Deputy accused of lying on stand

A Johnson County sheriff’s deputy was charged Friday with perjury, accused of lying under oath about making statements to circuit court jurors about the defendant in the murder trial they were hearing.

Cpl. Glenda Morrison, 44, a bailiff in the Tommy Bowden murder trial in October, surrendered to the Arkansas State Police at the Johnson County jail Friday morning, sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jerry Dorney said.

He said Clarksville District Judge Len Bradley held a bail hearing in the jail Friday morning and that Morrison was released from custody on a signature bond.

Morrison is scheduled to be arraigned March 15 on the felony charge in circuit court before John Cole, a retired circuit judge from Sheridan, Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons said. Dorney said Cole was appointed last month by the Arkansas Supreme Court as a special judge to hear the case.

Dorney said he placed Morrison on paid administrative leave Friday pendingthe outcome of the case. He said she has worked for the sheriff’s office for 12 years.

According to Gibbons’ filing Friday, Morrison could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and fined up to $10,000 if convicted.

Morrison and Johnson County Sheriff Jimmy Dorney were married Oct. 20, according to county clerk records. Jimmy and Jerry Dorney are cousins.

According to an affidavit for the arrest warrant, Morrison told a state police investigator Jan. 2 that she told a juror in the presence of theother jurors in the Bowden trial that the defendant wore a shock device that could control him if he decided to testify. The witness stand is near the jury box.

Morrison made the remarks the day after the jury convicted Bowden of first-degree murder but before court started the morning of the sentencing phase of the trial.

Bowden did not testify during the sentencing phase of the trial.

Circuit Judge William Pearson held a hearing Oct. 23during which Bowden trial jurors testified they heard Morrison make statements that Bowden could be controlled or that he was wearing something on his leg that could calm him, the affidavit stated.

On Oct. 15, the affidavit stated, Morrison testified under oath before Pearson that she did not make any remarks about Bowden to jurors but that they might have overheard a sheriff’s detective make statements about Bowden to her as they sat outside the jury room before court started.

Bowden went on trial Oct. 9 charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 30, 2012, beating death of his mother. The jury convicted him Oct. 10 and returned to court Oct. 11 for the sentencing phase. Later that day, Pearson sentenced Bowden to a life term based on the jury’s recommendation. Pearson set asideBowden’s sentence after the Oct. 23 hearing because he ruled jurors were prejudiced by the remarks about Bowden made outside the courtroom. He ordered a new sentencing trial, which was held last week. Bowden was sentenced again to life in prison.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 02/23/2013

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