By Alexandra Zayas, Times Staff Writer
Monday, August 30, 2010
TAMPA — Jury selection is underway in the first case against Kendrick Morris, a 19-year-old accused of raping a teenage girl at the Bloomingdale library in 2008 and a 61-year-old daycare worker in 2007.
This week, Morris will stand trial in the day care case.
In the early morning of June 28, 2007, at the Children's Lighthouse Day Care Center in the Clair-Mel area, a masked man with a knife came in behind a day care worker, ordered her to the floor and asked for money, she told investigators. She said he made her remove her clothes and raped her.
The victim ran to the teachers' bathroom, locked herself in and began yelling and banging on the wall to attract attention. Deputies later found her naked in the driveway. They were able to collect DNA.
Morris lived three blocks away from the day care.
Authorities said they linked the DNA to Morris that following April, after he was accused of brutally raping an East Bay High School senior outside the Bloomingdale library.
In this week's case, he is charged with five counts: Armed burglary of a structure with assault or battery, attempted robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of sexual battery and one of attempted sexual battery, all with a deadly weapon.
Morris' public defenders have argued that it will be impossible to seat an impartial jury today because of the extensive media coverage the teen defendant has gotten. Hillsborough Circuit Judge Chet A. Tharpe denied their request to move the trial to another city.
Every seat in the courtroom is taken by a potential juror, and attorneys are beginning to screen the pool of 98.
Alexandra Zayas can be reached at azayas@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3354.