Defendant: Derran Morris 06/10/94

May 24, 2019 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced that Derran Morris of Mount Vernon was found guilty on all counts following a jury trial on charges he brutally attacked his girlfriend’s twin 2-year-old daughters, one of whom was killed and the other severely injured. The jury handed up the conviction Thursday evening after two-and-a-half days of deliberations.

Specifically, in the death of Addison Turner, Morris was convicted of:

• Murder in the Second Degree, a class A-1 violent felony
• Manslaughter in the First Degree, a class B felony

In the beating of the second child, he was convicted of:

• Assault in the First Degree, a class B felony
• Assault in the Second Degree,  a class D felony

Westchester County Court Judge Anne Minihan presided. Morris is scheduled for sentencing July 16, 2019.

Background
On July 5, 2017, the mother of the victims, Monique Turner and the defendant, Derran Morris, walked into Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital emergency room at 5:09 p.m. carrying Addison Turner and her twin sister in their arms. They told reception that Addison was not breathing.

Upon examination, it was determined that Addison Turner had no pulse and was cold to the touch. Doctors and nurses attempted to revive the baby for approximately 20 minutes. She was declared dead at 5:35 p.m. Mount Vernon Police arrived at the hospital after they were informed of a suspicious death by emergency room staff.

The other twin, who was injured but breathing, was rushed by ambulance to Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. Upon examination there, doctors determined the baby girl had suffered life-threatening abdominal trauma, including lacerations of the liver. Mount Vernon Detectives were notified of their findings.

On autopsy, it was found that Addison Turner suffered multiple bruises, trauma and a long deep laceration to her liver resulting in extensive blood loss. The report by the Medical Examiner’s Office stated Addison Turner’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to her body and the manner of death was homicide. Both the (now retired) Westchester County Chief Medical Examiner Kunjlata Ashar and other physicians testified at trial.

Addison’s sister, who was severely injured with lacerations to the liver, survived and required weeks of hospitalization.

The investigation found, Morris had been alone with the children for several hours. Turner, Morris and the children lived together at the time.

Mount Vernon Police arrested Derran Morris July 7, 2017, after a fast-paced and intensive investigation.

This case was prosecuted by First Deputy District Attorney Patricia Murphy, Chief of Criminal Operations, and Assistant District Attorney Mary Clark-DiRusso, Deputy Chief of the Special Prosecutions Division Domestic Violence Bureau. 

 In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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