Linda Harris
STEUBENVILLE A Franciscan friar under indictment for the alleged rape of a woman he counseled nearly a decade ago pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Ohio’s Jefferson County Common Pleas Court.
The Rev. David R. Morrier indicted April 7 on charges of rape and two counts of sexual battery of a student at Franciscan University of Steubenville made his initial appearance in front of Judge Joseph Bruzzeze.
Because he appeared voluntarily, Prosecutor Jane Hanlin said Morrier, 59, was entitled to be released on his own recognizance.
The indictment alleged Morrier, ordained into the Province of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance in 1997, used his position as the woman’s counselor to make her believe that engaging in sexual activity with him would help with her mental health issues.
Staff writer
Linda Harris
ARRAIGNED â The Rev. David R. Morrier, 59, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to rape and two counts of sexual battery during his arraignment in Jefferson Common Pleas Court.
STEUBENVILLE The Franciscan friar under indictment for the alleged rape of a woman he counseled nearly a decade ago entered a “not guilty” plea Wednesday in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court.
The Rev. David R. Morrier, indicted April 7 on charges of rape and two counts of sexual battery of a student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, made his initial appearance in front of Jefferson County Common Pleas Judge Joseph Bruzzeze.
lharris@heraldstaronline.com
ARRAIGNED The Rev. David R. Morrier, 59, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to rape and two counts of sexual battery during his arraignment in Jefferson Common Pleas Court. Linda Harris
STEUBENVILLE The Franciscan friar under indictment for the alleged rape of a woman he counseled nearly a decade ago entered a “not guilty” plea Wednesday in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court.
The Rev. David R. Morrier, who was indicted April 7 on charges of rape and two counts of sexual battery of a student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, made his initial appearance in front of Common Pleas Judge Joseph Bruzzeze.
lharris@heraldstaronline.com
TRIAL â Jason Twiley, charged with the August 2019 shooting death of Brittany Littlejohn and attempting to burn her house down, consults with his attorney Tuesday in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court. Linda Harris
STEUBENVILLE Cheryl Reid struggled to maintain her composure Tuesday as she told jurors tasked with deciding the fate of accused murderer Jason Twiley about the last time she saw her daughter, Brittany Littlejohn, alive.
It was Aug. 10, 2019, two days before her daughter’s body would be found, naked and stuffed headfirst in a garbage can in a garage on Maxwell Avenue, covered only by a red sheet.
Staff writer
ON TRIAL â The murder and aggravated arson trial of Jason Twiley, 28, began Monday in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court. Twiley is charged with killing Brittany Littlejohn in her Maxwell Avenue home in August 2019. Linda Harris
STEUBENVILLE – Jurors in the trial of a man charged with the murder of 32-year-old Brittany Littlejohn 19 months ago in the Pleasant Heights section of Steubenville visited the scene of the crime Monday.
Jason Cortez Twiley, 602 Garrett Ave., is charged with aggravated arson and murder with a firearm specification.
Authorities allege Twiley, 28, beat Littlejohn and shot her with a 9 mm handgun on Aug. 12, 2019, then stuffed her body in a city trash can and wheeled it into a neighbor’s garage before setting three fires in her home and fleeing to Chicago.