JOHNSTOWN - A grand jury has indicted a St. Johnsville man for allegedly assaulting and robbing city resident Brian Morrison, who died after being stabbed the night of July 6, 2010, on Bleecker Street in Gloversville.
Derrick R. Paul, 29, of Main Street, St. Johnsville, whom authorities previously had labeled a "person of interest" in the death of Morrison, was indicted on five charges and arraigned in Fulton County Court, the Fulton County district attorney announced today. Paul was charged with second- and third-degree robbery, second-degree assault, tampering with physical evidence, all felonies, and third-degree assault, a misdemeanor. He faces no charges related to the stabbing or killing of Morrison, who authorities previously said was stabbed in the neck and killed while walking home from a Gloversville bar.
The indictment, dated Thursday, alleges Paul punched Morrison in the jaw, rendering him unconscious, and stole his wallet on Bleecker Street on or around July 6, 2010. The indictment also alleges that on July 6 or 7, 2010, Paul hid the wallet and then destroyed it by burning it.
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Derrick R. Paul
In a prepared statement, District Attorney Louise Sira said, "I know it brings a measure of comfort to Mr. Morrison's family that those who played a role in committing crimes against him before his death are being brought to justice."
Paul was sent to the Fulton County Jail without bail and is scheduled to appear in County Court at 9:30 a.m. July 10.
The district attorney's office says the investigation into Morrison's death is ongoing with the Gloversville Police Department. Anyone with information is asked to call Gloversville Police Capt. Anthony Clay at 773-4513.
On July 9, 2010, Derek A. Kenney, 42, of Mayfield was charged with second-degree murder by Gloversville police in Morrison's death, but the charges were dropped in October after Kenney's attorneys argued grand-jury proceedings against Kenney were tainted because witnesses lied.
Morrison was a buildings and grounds employee with the Gloversville Enlarged School District.
More on this story will appear in Tuesday's print edition of The Leader-Herald.