News

May 16, 2008

Shooting victim charged with robbery

Police said Timothy Morrison tried to force his way into Freeland home to get $30.

JEN MARCKINI jmarckini@timesleader.com

FREELAND – It all started with a scuffle over $30, according to police.

Now the 21-year-old man who was shot by his girlfriend’s mother was charged with trying to force his way into the mother’s Chestnut Street home court papers state.

Timothy Louis Morrison, Jr., of 966 Chestnut St., Freeland, was arraigned Thursday on charges of robbery and burglary and two counts of criminal trespass. Police say he entered the back door of Antoinette Blacer’s home at 968 Chestnut St. on Tuesday.

Blacer shot Morrison in the upper body with her semi-automatic pistol in self-defense, and he required hospital treatment, police said.

According to the affidavit:

Blacer heard yelling, then a sound of banging from her back door. Her daughter, Laurie Harper, was screaming to let her in. But as Blacer let Harper inside, Morrison was holding onto her arm, trying to pull her back.

Blacer told police he was yelling, “I want my money!” As he began shoving, Blacer screamed, “Get out of my house! Get out of my house!”

During the shoving match, Blacer grabbed a small black pistol from a cabinet and hit Morrison with it several times. The gun went off, Blacer told police, and Morrison was hit. He fled the house.

Police learned Morrison tried to get the money from Harper earlier that day. But Harper refused to give him the $30 he was asking for, police said.

Morrison’s story was different than the women’s version, police said.

While in the emergency room at Hazleton General Hospital, police Sgt. Robert Maholik interviewed Morrison.

Morrison told police he went to the Chestnut Street home to get the $30 Harper was holding for him. He said the argument happened in Blacer’s backyard because Harper refused to give him “his money.”

He said Blacer showed up at the back door of her home, yelling, “Get the hell off my property,” and had pointed a gun at him and fired at the same time.

Morrison is being held on $50,000 bail in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.

Blacer shot Morrison in the upper body with her semi-automatic pistol in self-defense, and he required hospital treatment, police said.

Jen Marckini, a Times Leader staff writer, can be reached at 829-7210.

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