Jeffrey Morris appears in Brown County court via video conference Aug. 1, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — After a bank robbery charge was thrown out for lack of evidence Monday, prosecutors re-filed the same count. On Tuesday, the charge was tentatively accepted — but a hearing was set for the defense to challenge it again.
Jeffrey Morris allegedly robbed the Associated Bank in downtown Green Bay on Friday, leaving the scene with $2,500 after handing the teller a note which said “100s, 50s and 20s,” and then saying “I want it all. All of it,” to the teller. He was arrested a short time later, with the cash.
Prosecutors charged Morris with one count of robbery of a financial institution. But Court Commissioner Paul Burke dismissed the charge Monday afternoon, noting the statute defines the crime as “by use of force or threat of imminent force take from an individual or the presence of an individual money that is under the custody or control of a financial institution” but there were no allegations Morris used or threatened any force.
Hours later, prosecutors re-filed the same charge, with the same information. Judge Tammy Jo Hock then signed an arrest warrant. Accordingly, Morris appeared in court again on Tuesday.
Defense attorney John Herman asked it for to be dismissed again, saying nothing had changed.
Court Commissioner Chad Resar deferred to the fact the judge signed the arrest warrant — presuming she made a probable cause determination — and did not want to overrule her. But he acknowledged the defense’s argument. A hearing was scheduled before Judge John Zakowski, who is assigned to the case, on Aug. 10 to assess if the charge should stand or not.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Aug. 11, as well.
Bond was set at $5,000 cash.
Morris, who said he was homeless, alternately told police he got the money to buy something to drink on his birthday, or to get a motel room for the night.
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