ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – He’s got a long criminal history dating back 20 years – a number of them are for violent encounters and refusing to cooperate with authorities. James Morrison was arrested again last week for an attack outside a Westside store.
On Tuesday, prosecutors planned to fight to keep James Morrison behind bars. Police arrested Morrison last week after a confrontation with a security guard near the Marshalls on Coors.
The guard told officers Morrison was not allowed on the property and told him to leave. He said Morrison then attacked him with a knife.
Prosecutors wanted to keep Morrison in custody until trial, pointing to his violent history. However, Morrison refused to come out of his jail cell to appear in court Tuesday.
It’s not the first time Morrison has made headlines. In December 2018, police video showed officers encountering Morrison near Saint Pius X High School, trying to stop him from walking into traffic, but he refused to cooperate and pushed the officers.
In April of last year, police say Morrison badly beat an elderly woman at a bus stop near Coors and Paseo del Norte. But the defense claimed he was incompetent. Judge Clara Moran declared him incompetent and a danger.
Morrison was ordered to go through mental health treatment and was later released. Competency is already being raised in this current case.
“Miss. Thomas reached out to me, what was it – yesterday or Friday – about his competency and so, this is making me actually legitimately consider it as an issue this early on,” said defense attorney Travis Wagman. “Usually, I like to wait until I’ve talked to them and had some interaction, but I can’t even get that right yet.”
Morrison’s attorney said he planned to meet with him Wednesday, and the hearing was reset for Thursday afternoon.
