Dontae Morris had a warrant out for his arrest that apparently was overlooked by prison or sheriff’s officials when releasing him.  That’s not why the TPD officers were killed.

Let’s not start blaming anyone for what Morris “allegedly” did the other night – other than Morris.

Let’s look at some facts:

• He was in prison up until about two months ago
• There was a warrant for him out of Jacksonville (Duval County)
• The warrant was in the State teletype system
• No one picked him up and he walked out of prison

Now, here is what you are not hearing:  the warrant was for worthless checks.  Those are misdemeanors.  And they had bonds attached to them.

Check cases have to go through a process with the victim (usually a buisness), writing a 7-day demand-for-payment letter from the defendant, and then referring the case to the State Attorney’s Worthless Check division.

Once the State Attorney has it, they file a case and the Clerk issues a summons for court.  The purpose of a summons is to let someone know they have a case pending.  If the person does not show up for court, then a warrant MAY be issued – for the same reason, to get them to court to deal with the charge.  Most judges I know do not issue NO BOND warrants!  Warrants for missing misdemeanor court usually have a very low bond so people can get out of jail and are then on notice of their case.

A review of the Duval County Clerk of Court website reveals the following:

• 2008-MM-020545 – Worthless check – bond:  $503
• 2008-CF-010614 - Worthless check – bond: $203
• 2008-MM-020274 - Worthless check – bond: $503

(*There may be more warrants out there; if so, I will update this blog post.)

Even if the warrant had been served, he would have been out on the streets.  If it did not, the liklihood of him having been out of jail before this week was tremendous.  Even if he were arrested on the warrant as he walked out of prison, and if he didn’t bond out, he would have already been transported to Hillsborough County where he would have seen a judge and either (1) had a bond set, or (2) taken care of his case.  Either would have resulted in his release.

My point is this:  these agencies and the media need to stop playing the blame game.  This guy has a violent record, and has been arrested more than 40 times in his short life.  By my reckoning, he would have done what he did regardless of whether there was an active warrant or not.

By the way, the media has raised the issue that the Jacksonville SAO filed this charges for checks written while Morris WAS IN PRISON?  He was in prison from March 25, 2008 until April 4, 2010 (his prison record is here:  http://www.dc.state.fl.us/InmateReleases/detail.asp?Bookmark=1&From=list&SessionID=474755786).  The check charges were filed in July and August 2008.  Remember, there is a long process from the time the bad check is written until the case is filed.  The reality is that the checks were probably written 6 months or more before the charges were filed – while Dontae Morris was on the street.

We need to make sure we know the facts and understand the system – before we start to blame.  But what good is blaming anyone other than Morris going to do in this situation?  It won’t bring back the fallen officers. . . . that’s for sure.

Please help find this man and bring him to justice.