Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, December 9, 1994 TAG: 9412100045
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A Montgomery County jury sentenced Morehead in August 1993 to life in prison plus 44 years after convicting him of the June 1992 robbery and murder of Lorna Raines Crockett, 32, of Pulaski County and the attempted robbery of a Blacksburg pizza shop manager.
Morehead appealed the conviction in May, alleging that Circuit Judge Kenneth Devore erred in failing to grant a change of venue and to separate the murder trial from the attempted robbery case.
Morehead's lawyer, Jeff Rudd of Roanoke, also argued there was insufficient evidence that Morehead participated in the robbery or killing of Crockett.
There was no conclusive evidence to prove who killed Crockett, but Morehead and the other two defendants were convicted under a law that finds participants in an event that leads to a crime - in this case the robbery of Crockett - equally responsible for the results.
A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals denied the petition.
"That's wonderful," Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Keith said Thursday. "It looks like they bought just about every argument I made. I'm very proud of that one, simply because that's one we wanted desperately to win. That doesn't mean, necessarily, that it's over."
Rudd said he will petition for a rehearing in front of the full appeals court in hopes they will grant the petition.
Crockett managed the Shoe Show in Christiansburg. After making a night deposit June 1 at a branch bank near the store, Crockett was robbed of her purse, force to drive a short distance away, then shot to death.
by CNB