On the second day of former New Orleans 911 director Tyrell Morris’ trial, current and former Orleans Parish Communication District employees detailed his on-the-job actions before and after he wrecked a publicly owned SUV.
Jurors are weighing whether Morris’ conduct on and around May 7, 2023 — when prosecutors say he crashed the SUV and falsified documents to avoid both blame and a drug and alcohol test — amount to malfeasance in office, false impersonation of a peace officer, insurance fraud and injuring of public records.
“An honest mistake is not a crime,” defense attorney Ralph Whalen argued, asking Criminal District Judge Simone Levine to emphasize that point in her instructions to the six-member jury.
Former Human Resources staff testified that Morris failed to report the crash