
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 5, 1993                   TAG: 9306050198
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

RICHMOND PROSECUTOR INDICTED

Commonwealth's Attorney Joseph D. Morrissey was indicted Friday, four days before the primary, on five felony counts alleging he mishandled money from a settlement in a rape case.

A Richmond Circuit Court grand jury returned an indictment shortly before 4 p.m. charging the prosecutor with one count of solicitation of bribery, two counts of bribery, one count of perjury and one count of misappropriation of funds. The indictment followed a state police investigation that began in April.

"This is an ugly political ploy deliberately orchestrated four days before the primary," Morrissey said.

Morrissey faces David Hicks in a Democratic primary Tuesday. He said he will continue his campaign.

Col. Carl R. Baker, state police superintendent, said the state police received a complaint April 6 alleging Morrissey, 35, had accepted a bribe as part of a plea agreement last year and early this year. Baker said the complaint charged the agreement allowed the accused rapist to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge in return for $50,000, part of which was paid to the victim and part of which allegedly was used in Morrissey's political campaign.

The defendant pleaded guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery and given a suspended jail term, community service and psychological treatment.

Morrissey said he gave $25,000 that his office received from the defendant's family to charity. The victim also was paid $25,000 by the defendant's family.

"I state now as I've stated before I have done nothing wrong," Morrissey said. "My actions have benefited numerous charities."

Hicks called the indictments "shocking, disgusting and a further embarrassment on the city of Richmond."

Late Thursday, state police investigators seized files from the prosecutor's office at the John Marshall Courts Building.

"They indicted me on five felonies," Morrissey said outside the courthouse. "I'm going to get the indictments and then finish my campaigning. I have no idea why I can be indicted for giving money to charity, but I'm going to continue to campaign until Tuesday and then I'll deal with that problem after that."

Morrissey, a native of Annandale, was elected Richmond prosecutor in November 1989. He was in private practice from 1987 to 1989. He was Richmond assistant commonwealth's attorney from 1984 to 1987.

by CNB