Morrison v. State

Ms. Morrison was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for her role in a murder that occurred when she was 17. The murder was committed by her adult boyfriend at the time, who severely physically and emotionally abused Ms. Morrison throughout their relationship. 

Juvenile Law Center, the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women, and mitigation expert Dana Cook submitted a letter to the New Mexico Seventh Judicial District Court in support of Ms. Morrison’s Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus. Our letter argued that Ms. Morrison’s attorney failed to present mitigating evidence of her youthfulness and the abusive nature of her relationship during the sentencing phase of her case, despite U.S. Supreme Court precedent and American Bar Association standards that asserted the mitigating value of such evidence. 

Legal Team

Attorneys

Katrina Goodjoint, Marsha Levick

Paralegals

Tiffany Faith, Marissa Lariviere