The Lethal Library

59. Unthinkable Acts: The Devastating Story of the Morrison Case

• The Lethal Library • Episode 59

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In this episode of The Lethal Library, Dani and Stephanie head to West Boise for a 2001 case that starts with a routine, prearranged visit between estranged spouses—and spirals into a nightmare that leaves a neighborhood stunned behind yellow tape. With a clear trigger warning for domestic violence, they unpack what neighbors noticed (and what police didn’t), why prosecutors chose a grand jury route to protect a vulnerable survivor, and how the case moved through charges, plea negotiations, and sentencing inside Ada County’s courts. Along the way, they pause to remember the victim as a real person with a full life and family, and they highlight just how complicated (and frustrating) justice can be when trauma and testimony collide. They also share resources for anyone experiencing abuse and end with an urgent parole-related update.

Contact The Lethal Library at TheLethalLibrary@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok!

Dani

In May, 2001, a man went to a home in West Boise for a scheduled visit with his young son. His estranged wife had been staying there with her parents four hours later, just after 1240 that afternoon. A call came in from inside the house reporting a shooting.

Stephanie

Not good.

Dani

Never is.

Stephanie

No All right, everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Lethal Library. For those of you that might be new, we are a True Crime podcast straight out of Idaho, AKA Taland, AKA, the two C, the potato wonderland. We're here. we like to follow cases out of our state because they, some get national attention, but not a lot, and some crazy shit be happening in the two oh eight, as we lovingly call it. so I'm Stephanie.

Dani

And I'm Danny.

Stephanie

And Danny does all the research for our podcast. She has told me that this is going to be one that is one hugely impactful and trigger warning for domestic violence. and also a, a large twist in the case. so I'm just very interested to hear where this is gonna go and Danny, take it away.

Dani

resources used today are articles from the Idaho Statesman, that Bitch

Stephanie

Love Her,

Dani

and, the Coe d'Alene Press.

Stephanie

Coe d'Alene.

Dani

Yeah. It was really weird that it was,'cause this happened down here, in Boise. but, you know,

Stephanie

they were covering it,

Dani

the researching, I was like, where's this gap? So, anyways, found the gap. It was a up north, so l it James, Lee Morrison and Heather Morrison had been married for a relatively short period of time, and in the months leading up to May, 2001, their relationship had deteriorated to the point that they were no longer living together. Mm. Neighbors in the West Boise subdivision where Heather's parents lived, had observed the couple together on multiple occasions during that period, including instances where Morrison came to the residence and attempted to speak with Heather while she declined to engage with him. She was saying, no thank you. She was done. Jackie Dobra, who lived across the street said she had seen the couple argue outside the residence and described a pattern in which Morrison would come over and talk. Well, Heather did not want to speak with him stating he would come over there and try to get to talk to her, but she didn't wanna talk to him and they argued a lot, but it never got physical.

Stephanie

And I think we've all been there with, and sometimes, dare I say it, I know in my younger years I might have been the one that was going over and. Not to an abusive standard, I don't think, but

Dani

either

Stephanie

you

Dani

need to get your point across. Do you

Stephanie

feel like, like you need to be validated, especially before cell phones where you couldn't reach someone. Mm-hmm. Like or when cell phones were newer and so you couldn't text. But sometimes also you wanna look somebody in the eye. Mm-hmm. So I get that. I do think this was clearly, if it's being noticed and look at, I know how this is gonna end. Generally this was not good, but people do this shit and sometimes it amounts to nothing and sometimes it amounts to a very bad thing.

Dani

For two months, Heather had been living at her parents' home in a quiet neighborhood on the city's west side. After separating from Morrison due to marital problems. Mike Dobra, who also lived across the street, and so the couple had not been married long and described ongoing issues in the relationship. Stating quote, I just went to their wedding a couple years ago. I think they've been having problems since they got married.

Stephanie

Ooh,

Dani

the residents where Heather and her toddler was staying belonged to her parents, Kathy and John Austin,

Stephanie

and that adds another layer of complicatedness to a relationship for sure. I don't care if you're married, living with someone, anyone.

Dani

Then, you know, you have to just, you feel

Stephanie

someone's parents own the house. Yeah. Whether you're a spouse or a friend. Like,

Dani

and almost, I, I feel like especially parents, but even a roommate and you're going through a breakup, you almost feel like you have to justify your behavior sometimes to other people. Right. And you're just trying to work through it yourself, and then you're worried about what other people think.

Stephanie

Mm-hmm.

Dani

Too. So, sticky, sticky, sticky police have been called to the West Lynn Stock lane residents several times earlier in the year for disputes involving a neighbor and for vandalism, though, none of these calls were related to any domestic violence within the Austin household.

Stephanie

Interesting.

Dani

Officers later stated, there had been no prior indication that Morrison was capable of the level of violence that would occur. And again, no police reports involving the family suggested a history of domestic abuse inside the home.

Stephanie

And this is sometimes how it happens, sometimes it just never gets and every person's threshold of making that call. Because I think as women we know that making that call, if you don't already have an escape plan or anything, like it could just make things much worse for you. And that's why this shit festers

Dani

well, and she had already like,

Stephanie

removed herself,

Dani

removed herself. And we all know that that's a very dangerous time for

Stephanie

super,

Dani

for women when they leave. but again, no history of any domestic violence

Stephanie

On record. No

Dani

on record. No. so.

Stephanie

You never know what's going on in other people's houses.

Dani

No, you don't. You don't? Okay. We're gonna, this is a lot. Gonna

Stephanie

get tough.

Dani

Yeah.

Stephanie

Okay.

Dani

On the morning of May 16th, 2001, James Lee Morrison went to the home at about 8:00 AM for a prearranged visit with the couple's, then 23 month old son. And this home is just for local people. it is located between like around five Mile and McMillan in Boise. Sure. Okay. Just to kind of give you an idea of where it's at once inside the residence, an argument began between Morrison and Heather Morrison. During that argument, Morrison produced a handgun. Placed it against Heather's head and positioned their child in front of them as he directed her down the hallway towards the master bedroom where Kathy was located.

Stephanie

I am trying to picture this.

Dani

So he grabbed her

Stephanie

mm-hmm. Gun to head?

Dani

Yes. But he had put the toddler in, in front of her. And was tell, like,

Stephanie

like walking with them?

Dani

Yeah. In front of them.

Stephanie

This is already a fucking

Dani

nightmare. And you, this is just a little bit more explanation. As they moved through the house, the child remained in front of them while Morrison kept the gun pressed against Heather and they entered the master bedroom where Kathy was, in bed. Once inside the room, Morrison opened fire. As Kathy remained in bed, she was struck repeatedly, including a fatal wound to the back. I, So Heather's mom where she was staying mm-hmm. Was in bed doing as

Stephanie

she would be

Dani

minding, and he went in there and just, he shot her unprovoked.

Stephanie

And in there. Why there? That's, this shit is so fucking wild to me, and I know that so many people have experienced crazy shit like this, but this is just the why is so loud for me right now.

Dani

after the shooting, Morrison removed their child from the area and placed him in his room before returning to the bedroom where Heather remained with Ka.

Stephanie

And so she's in there with her mother that's been shot.

Dani

He forced his way back into the room. He then restrained Heather using handcuffs and duct tape and then sexually assaulted her.

Stephanie

This is just so incredibly terrible like

Dani

her

Stephanie

mother is. Been shot. And why did he have to bring her into that room to shoot her and assault her? Like this just shows the depravity of some people that it's just truly unimaginable. I can't, no, but I, I was

Dani

like, are you kidding me? And we've done some pretty dark shit and I was like, literally you're getting, she was getting assaulted in front of her dead mother.

Stephanie

Yeah. And, and that she, you mentioned he had to force his way back in, so he went to put the child away and she was clearly trying to keep him out and be defensive and now he's breaking in and this is happening. Like, and I

Dani

couldn't find this in any

report.

Stephanie

Absolutely. Nightmare.

Dani

I couldn't, I, I couldn't because have the money to get, like, so from the news articles, I couldn't find this, but I imagine as I would be, or you would be, if my parent was shot, a loved one was shot in front of me, I would be trying to help them. Mm-hmm. And be very concerned. And in a quick moment, the baby, the toddler is removed, you

Stephanie

have a chance. You, you have hope.

Dani

And then he's coming back

Stephanie

and forced his way in again.

Dani

And she probably never suspected the assault at that point.

Stephanie

Who would expect that?

Dani

Yeah.

Stephanie

Who would expect that? Watching someone kill someone, that they're immediately gonna be trying to sexually assault someone.

Dani

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie

Who, whose brain is like, just killed someone ready to go. and physically their body is able to do that. I, I, I'm so sorry. This is so graphic guys, but I just, I don't try to rationalize anyone's crimes, but I know that for some people, their motives make sense even though their behavior is not acceptable. Atrocious, this is a fucking weird one. this is just no excuse. And absolutely what I'm trying to say is this person, I know we usually reserve this for the end, but please choke and die if you haven't already. I don't know the end. please die because in society, no.

Dani

Morrison then moved Heather into another room where he again, sexually assaulted her two more times.

Stephanie

Literally, what the fuck? No. Die burn, choke. this type of behavior. I just, it

Dani

is, I'm all, I'm tearing, like I can't be

Stephanie

imagining that.

Dani

No. And at this po I mean her mother, but I would also as a mother be very, very concerned about my toddler

Stephanie

Yes.

Dani

In the house.

Stephanie

And so you're probably trying to do things to appease,

Dani

be a little complicit.

Stephanie

Try to keep yourself alive for your child. Yeah. Because you don't know if they're gonna just try to

Dani

child.'cause you've already saw the most unimaginable thing. And so no, like you don't know what the limits are of this person.

Stephanie

That you married, that you thought you knew, but you still have a child in the house. Yeah, I think so many women can relate to this of what would I do, and I think just as women, like the protector in us is so strong, oh, mama bear so strong. And the risk analysis is so strong of yeah, I could try to attack this person, but is how likely am I to win? Or could I be complicit or could I, you, you're going through every fucking option in your head, and I know that so many people are going to be like, yes, if I was placed in that same, I, I'm sure there's a term for it, it's just a complete risk avoidance and. Women have been put in dangerous situations so many times in their life, usually by the time they're in their twenties, thirties, that they know of times when they've tried to be a aggressive and it worked or didn't work. And then you're like, that's going to change your whole, of how you would handle anything

Dani

for your baby.

Stephanie

Yeah.

Dani

Morrison held Heather in that house for more than four hours

Stephanie

and knowing that your mother is dead and that you could very well be dead as well as your child. Everyone. I mean, we've all seen family annihilators.

Dani

Hmm. But the child was not injured.

Stephanie

That's incredible news.

Dani

It is really,

Stephanie

it's the only glimmer of hope that I'm seeing of, of positivity.

Dani

And during that course of the whole morning, Morrison expressed that he wanted to commit suicide before contacting police. So. Could you have done it before you killed Kathy? Before you raped your wife? Thank you.

Stephanie

No,

Dani

and I

Stephanie

am They can't. They can't. And I think that that is even more cowardly. If I thought I was gonna go kill a family, my family and sexually assault someone and traumatize them, and I thought maybe I should just kill myself. I would really wanna hope that I would just kill myself. Aren't men supposed to protect? Protect? How about protect your own family from the,

Dani

the only thing that I will say about, I mean, I, I shouldn't say the only thing, but at least this child was very, very young being under the age of two years. Sure.

Stephanie

No, I can appreciate

Dani

that. To not. Have that whole situation. And if I am remembering correctly, I didn't write it down, but I think he put him in a room with like tv, like in his bedroom with a TV or something to distract him. Which I mean,

Stephanie

so you can extend that. So the thought is there, but how it can't, you can't also be like translating this and you're raping someone in their mother's room with Well,

Dani

and like you said, like who Mm,

Stephanie

who is, who is, who is aroused at that point. That's

Dani

sick is arou.

Stephanie

That's

Dani

sick. Fuck material. I'm just gonna say it

Stephanie

like again guys, we knew this was gonna be,

Dani

this is a brutal one.

Stephanie

Yeah.

Dani

but we have told you about the act. The act. So the. Well, we're gonna tell you,

Stephanie

let's find out

Dani

how some court proceedings, which, you know, my jam.

Stephanie

Yeah. How is this, what does this look like in the justice system?

Dani

at 12:40 PM that day, Morrison placed a call to police reporting the shooting. So he called 9 1 1 himself. Officers responded and Morrison voluntarily surrendered to the officers without incidents,

Stephanie

which I'll never understand if I would never do anything like this, but I'm trying to put myself in the shoes for me. Maybe this is a hot take. I don't know how it is. I would absolutely be, not existing anymore. If I had, there's no way I could live with that and there's no way I would want, even as a selfish reason, living in jail's not fun. And if.

Dani

Can I just, let me just,

Stephanie

why do they wanna live so much? Why are they fighting the death penalty? Lemme give you the word. Tell me

Dani

narcissist.

Stephanie

Thank you. Thank you. They just have to continue to leave their mark.

Dani

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie

And find ways to influence and they manipulate.

Dani

Narcissist do not kill themselves. They do not. They think so highly of themselves. They're

Stephanie

the most beautiful flower.

Dani

Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Stephanie

Why would you cut the most beautiful flower

Dani

inside the residence? Officers located Kathy in the master bedroom, a 38 automatic handgun and five spent, shell sings, were recovered at the scene. Got it. It wasn't one shot he unloaded.

Stephanie

Just imagining this like playing in my head, I know it's probably never even gonna amount to what actually happened. The shock of it. And the I am flabbergasted at this case.

Dani

Officers located Heather and the couple's 2-year-old son. Heather was transported with a child to St. Alfonso Regional Medical Center to be evaluated as investigators worked the scene. Residents at the neighborhood gathered outside while the detectives and crime investigators collected evidence from the home, the residence, a blue house with a manicured lawn and a two car garage appeared similar to all the other homes in the neighborhood. Aside from the police presence and the yellow tape surrounding it. It was a very nice neighborhood, idyllic.

Stephanie

It reminds me of like the weeds, the show weeds.

Dani

Oh my God, I need to be

Stephanie

rough. Little

Dani

houses full of ticky-tacky.

Stephanie

Mm-hmm. Like, and all the houses look just the same. Yeah. Like you would never expect.

Dani

So you remember the neighbor Mike Dobra, who lived across the the street. He contacted Kathy's husband, John, who was at work at the time of the shooting. They're 47. They're still working. Mm-hmm. These are not old, old people. We're just old, just

Stephanie

grinding.

Dani

Um, he described the call stating, I just got ahold of him and told him there was an emergency at his house, and the first thing he said to me is, James, over there. That tells you so much.

Stephanie

Yeah.

Dani

Again, Dobra had commented that they hadn't been married long. He said, I just went to their wedding a couple years ago

Stephanie

and that it's always been tumultuous. It's just, I'm so happy that women are waking up more and realizing that you don't have to follow an A plus B equals C. Like I must be married by some people. Some girls are like, if I'm not married by 23, I'm a failure. What, what's

Dani

the word they use on little house? Spinster?

Stephanie

Yeah. Oh, I'm an old spinster. No, like, and I, I feel like women are realizing their worth and realizing what they want and that,

Dani

I mean, this is 2001, and she's like, I don't want this. Mm-hmm. I'm gonna go home. My mom and dad, they love me. Which was

Stephanie

huge at the time.

Dani

Yeah. They love my kid.

Stephanie

I'm sure he was thinking the audacity of her, who the fuck does she think she is? The loss of control. The loss of, anyway, women protect yourselves. No one is gonna do it for you. No one's coming to save us.

Dani

And

Stephanie

she was doing the right thing.

Dani

Like, yeah, I don't think,

Stephanie

no, she,

Dani

I don't think that she anticipated anything like this happening, because. And maybe there had been physical, but there's no record of any mm-hmm. Physical issues.

Stephanie

And this does happen where they're,

Dani

they could just be crazy but not physical.

Stephanie

And then they're waiting to unleash and enact their vengeance and make their statement. And that's why they still wanna live. They wanna make their statement and recreate, they wanna be the creator of their own story. Like, I hate this shit.

Dani

I know you do. I knew you're gonna hate this. Debbie Dein, who also lived across the street, describe seeing Kathy recently and described, the event stating, I just can't believe it. She said, I just saw her recently and she's out shopping with her grandson.

Stephanie

Mm-hmm.

Dani

Like that grand baby was spoiled if, for her set up, I can feel that I have, that Steph has that. Mm-hmm. They're just something special

Stephanie

grandkids or something else.

Dani

On May 17th, Morrison was in the ADA County Jail on charges of first degree murder, kidnapping, and rape, and was scheduled to be arraigned in Magistrate court. Morrison signed a confession to the crimes.

Stephanie

Let's fucking hear it.

Dani

Let's fucking go.

Stephanie

'cause I am literally, there is a fire burning in me about this right now, and I just, I want to hear it. I want to hear what a narcissist says. Their retelling of this. I want their lens.

Dani

ADA County coroner, Erwin Sonenberg said an autopsy showed that Kathie had been shot three times, including that fatal wound to the back. Police records showed that Morrison had been arrested previously for several misdemeanor offenses and including two arrests for carrying a concealed weapon. Records also showed that police had been called to that residence, five times since January for disputes with a neighbor and vandalisms ums geez, vandalism. but those calls were not related to any domestic violence.

Stephanie

Right. And they, that seems that's, those are, those are petty crimes. And I wouldn't expect anyone to be being under the microscope for some vandalism neighbor disputes. I think that most of us can agree. I had a neighbor dispute that even as a fully formed adult, I was thinking of renting a backhoe and demolishing their house.

Dani

Thinking

Stephanie

seriously, considering it,

Dani

thinking

Stephanie

frontal lobe was not developed guys front. I didn't do it. I, but I was like, how hard is it? And this was in the time where. There wasn't everyone had a ring camera, and so I was like, could I do it?

Dani

I'm

Stephanie

glad you thought ly about, I was just, I was just spit balling. I was just thinking,

Dani

I wish I could,

Stephanie

I was considering it,

Dani

but look what happens.

Stephanie

Yeah. And I reason I decided against debt.

Dani

Reason in your brain. Yes. Yes ma'am.

Stephanie

Yeah. And so, just wild.

Dani

I wanna talk to you a little bit about Kathy.

Stephanie

Thank

Dani

you. I don't have a lot on Heather's, but I, you know, as far as her whole life experience too much. But I can tell you about Kathy from her obituary.

Stephanie

Yeah, I'd like to hear it.

Dani

I'm so grateful when I can find him because I really feel like it lends itself mm-hmm. To getting to know the victim, the,

Stephanie

the real context. Yeah. The real ripple effects that this shit has on a family and a community. A hundred percent

Dani

and it just makes them more of a real person when we're talking about victims. Yeah. So, Kathy Roe Austin was born on April 21st, 1954 in Boise. One of seven children.

Stephanie

Seven,

Dani

yeah. Lots. I, I don't know. That would be overwhelming for me'cause I, that

Stephanie

was the way though.

Dani

It was, my mom's the eldest of nine. I can't even imagine

Stephanie

the aunties are ridiculous. Two, Rick has on both sides the same thing.

Dani

I love it.

Stephanie

I think there's 50 limb. N

Dani

yeah, I'm 50 11 aunts. I loved it growing up. All my aunties and cousins.

Stephanie

Of course. Yeah. They're so fun.

Dani

She graduated from Boise High School and later attended beauty school in Tigard, Oregon in 1974. She married John Austin in Boise. And during this time in the Army, the family lived at several duty stations, including Germany before returning to Idaho where they raised their three children. After John's discharge from the army, she worked to help support the family while he returned to school.

Stephanie

And that was not the

Dani

badass,

Stephanie

that was very

Dani

Kathy

Stephanie

Progressive, like, wow.

Dani

Oh, I just love her. she remained in Boise where her family and faith were central parts of her life, and her grandson was a special joy.

Stephanie

I'm sure. I'm sure she doted on that little boy.

Dani

Just the year before she passed, John and Kathy celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a long awaited return trip to Germany.

Stephanie

Okay, this is.

Dani

This. She had dedicated her life to her family, her husband, her

Stephanie

children,

Dani

and was a good per

Stephanie

fitting in wherever and a good

Dani

partner.

Stephanie

So adaptable. Like just, do I need to be the mom at home? I'm doing that. Do I need to be working so my husband can further his career? I'm doing that.

Dani

It's hard for a military wife to work because you're moving all the time. Like to settle, right?

Stephanie

No, it's

Dani

just, and that she had this brand new little 2-year-old grandson that was

Stephanie

the, her joy.

Dani

I mean the neighbor saw her at the store with him. She's like, yeah, this showing

Stephanie

off. Showing off. That's my dude. This is my little dude. As we do, as we do, we be showing off those kids like didn't make this but kind of did. Kind of cool, right? Kind. Lemme tell you all the cool things. Oh, this is so fucking pissing me off. Sorry.

Dani

On May 19th, officers addressed questions about whether the killing was connected to an earlier case involving Kathie's brother Randy Rowe. They stated that her death was unrelated to the killings. Kathy's brother, Randy Rowe, had been killed nine years earlier when his wife, Robin Lee Rowe, set a fire that killed him and their children.

Stephanie

I fucking thought that might be it, but I didn't wanna jump to conclusions because I can't remember every detail This family has been affected. So Randy is Kathy's brother?

Dani

Yes. What her maiden name is? Kathy Ann Rowe.

Stephanie

And could you, so she's probably been dealing with all this in the peripherals of her life. And still has built this family and this support and doing all the things. Guys, I know it's only our second episode, and so it, it's a little rough audio and we didn't know shit about fuck, and we were talking fast. We didn't know what to, we didn't know what we were doing. So it, it could be a tougher listen. Sure. But listen, that's one of our best episodes in my opinion, because it's just so wild. You, it's so out of fucking control. Audacious, please. Now, if you're listening to this today, please go listen to that

Dani

episode two. It's our second episode.

Stephanie

So yeah, be gentle. Please be kind. We're still open to feedback, but just know we, we

Dani

think we're getting better.

Stephanie

I feel like we have, we have shown progress, but I can tell a difference between our first episodes and now, so. Just be gentle, um, with feedback and if you have feedback about other things other than like sound quality. And,

Dani

and if you chattiness, if you wanna comment on that, that's fine too. We're fully aware.

Stephanie

But with all that, could you imagine having, so for her, what, what, what would that be? Her sister-in-law?

Dani

Yeah. And her nieces and nephews.

Stephanie

So her sister-in-law is out lighting every fucking facility she comes in contact with. Not every that, she comes in

Dani

damn

Stephanie

close. Everything that she stays in on Fire, getting friend trying to kill her friends, like, oh my God, I cannot believe I was, if someone has gone through this level of fuckery.

Dani

I was fucking floored.

Stephanie

I am floored.

Dani

I was like, say again. What? Pardon the fuck. Pardon the fuck. This poor fucking family. And also Kathy had to be going through, I mean if go listen to the, Robin wrote, she's a fucking cunt and she's a horrible person. Manipulative. Years and years, sociopath. Years and years and years and years and years. Complete sociopath. And this poor woman Kathy, had to deal with not only, I mean, it's one thing to have your brother pass away or have, you know, your nieces or nephews pass away, but the way it was done in the public, it was huge. and going to court and all that stuff, I cannot even imagine. And here she is. Just

Stephanie

working away

Dani

at home at actual work. Like bringing her child home. Heather, come live, come home, bring that baby here. Fuck that dude. I got you.

Stephanie

And they did. That is the right thing to do.

Dani

Mm-hmm. Like I got you. Come home, sis. Come home. And then this psycho motherfucker ma pour,

Stephanie

I wanna Hulk smash our table out the window is what I wanna do.

Dani

There's a window somewhere in this room.

Stephanie

Sorry.

Dani

Hmm. and I just feel the whole Austin family had to deal with this before experience and now here we are.

Stephanie

Yeah.

Dani

Can you

Stephanie

the trials and.

Dani

Lieutenant Jim Tib stated in 30 years of law enforcement, I don't remember seeing anything like this, where one family sees two acts of tragic violence,

Stephanie

unimaginable violence. This isn't just someone gets in a bar fight, someone does a little, you know,

Dani

a car

Stephanie

accident, a little b and e, someone does a little breaking and entering. Mm-hmm. Like no unimaginable murders and violence. That's what this is.

Dani

Officer Angie er stated that the fact that both siblings had been killed was bad luck. Completely coincidental. And it really, like there's no relation

Stephanie

mean, that's still, I think that's logical, but that's

Dani

how tragic for this family, like, it's just so sad.

Stephanie

If I heard someone say, well, it's just bad luck.

Dani

Yeah, it's kind of tacky

Stephanie

actually. I don't think that's the most kind way. I'm not saying it's wrong, but,

Dani

well, let me see if she can

redeem

Stephanie

herself. Like, bad luck. Bad luck is tripping over the sidewalk or tripping in front of your boss, like bad luck. And again,

Dani

dropping this, your beer bottle and breaking

Stephanie

it. Yeah, that's bad luck. Whoops. See I, I bought a bottle of wine and I dropped it on my driveway. Gosh dang it. I really wanted to have a nice drink tonight. Bad luck.

Dani

Yeah.

Stephanie

Losing on 18 lottery tickets on your 18th birthday, extreme. Bad luck. That's me. That's totally me. Thank you sissy, for buying me those lottery tickets. But none of them were, it's not your fault, but because I'm an unlucky person, I wouldn't be, if this happened to me, I would be like. It's my gosh darn look and I know it's a flippant comment. Yeah. So I'm not trying to like rail or cancel anyone, but it's like this is why communication and words are so important because reading it back and now how many years later

Dani

not cringe

Stephanie

it, it wasn't the intent, but there was an effect

Dani

she sh should have stuck with just completely coincidental.

Stephanie

Yeah. Cutting that part out.

Dani

Yeah. Veer also said that there had been no warning that Morrison was capable of the violence and that there were no police reports involving the family. She described patterns seen in similar cases, stating often mothers are that support referring to the situation somewhere. Abusers attempt to isolate their partners from family members and

Stephanie

now they have a support. And you want to cut that off?

Dani

Yeah.

Stephanie

It is her mama. I fucking hate everything about this.

Dani

I know you do. On May 26th, a preliminary hearing that had been scheduled for that week was postponed and reset for July 19th, and Morrison, of course, remained in Ada County Jail

Stephanie

as he should, because what the fuck?

Dani

In July, the case was taken to a grand jury marking the first time a first degree murder case had been presented to a grand jury in Ada County, Morrison was indicted on charges of first degree murder, first degree kidnapping, rape, and domestic violence in the presence of a child, and was scheduled to enter a plea before the fourth district Judge Joel Horton, deputy Prosecutor Jim Coffin, Explained the decision to proceed by grand jury stating. Quote, we take cases to the grand jury where we have very vulnerable victims. And in this case, we had a very vulnerable victim who saw her mother get killed and then was assaulted because the grand jury stuff is quiet, it's not public. If they would've taken this to a preliminary hearing, everything would've been public. And then

Stephanie

everyone knows that.

Dani

So kudos,

Stephanie

strategery,

Dani

kudos for them for not making her, making all of those details public.

Stephanie

Mm-hmm.

Dani

I mean, they're, they, a lot of stuff came out in the newspapers, but she was not having to go and testify on a public level. Mm-hmm. Because the grand jury is secretive. So,

Stephanie

and you know what, Danny, you're gonna hate me for this.

What?

Dani

He's a strong word, sis.

Stephanie

I think. I, and I thank you for saying that.'cause I don't think you're gonna hate me for this. I think I, I just know that I'm adding some more tasks to your task list,

Dani

Jesus.

Stephanie

Because I've asked you about a few legal things in the last few episodes where I'm like, what even is that, we can't explore it here, but let's, you wanna talk about a grand jury? I'm gonna be honest, and I feel like some people are on my same page. What is a grand jury? Why is it a grand jury? How does it work? What are the ramifications?

Dani

I have been tasked, I got this. Next time I'm not just gonna,

Stephanie

or we can maybe even just make, we could do it as a like social media clip. Okay.

Dani

Well, grand

Stephanie

juries come up. I'll get, I'll get your whiteboard. I will buy you a whiteboard. Whatever you need.

I

Dani

could, I could give you a basic thing, but I don't want to do that without being fully informed.

Stephanie

And I know it's different in certain states.

Dani

Yeah.

Stephanie

But we can

Dani

focus

Stephanie

on Idaho.

Dani

I I will do that research because it's fair and I like fun facts for me. Right. I missed it on this one. I should have done it. I apologize.

Stephanie

Well, and I've even heard in some states, if someone testifies to a grand jury, they're given immunity.

Dani

They can be.

Stephanie

Yeah. They don't even have to test. And so then if you just mm-hmm. Go and say, yeah, I'll go talk and you're involved, I would be not singing my guts out, but I'd be participating.

Dani

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie

Because then no matter what I say, you can't prosecute me. And I don't know if that's the case here or anywhere, like what the details are, but I've always, like, I will be completely vulnerable and safe. I've heard grand jury a million times on crime podcasts and I'm like. Yeah. I dunno what the fuck that is.

Dani

I am, I've been tasked do

Stephanie

that. It's like, it's like when the oil change guy comes and shows you the oil. That's how I feel about grand jury. Where I'm like, yeah, sure. It was a grand jury quote, unquote. What the fuck is that? It leads to something.

Dani

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie

It's a step. Sure. But anyway, thank you Danny.

Dani

So next time

Stephanie

to be continued.

Dani

Next time that comes up in a case, I will explain it. Okay. Locked. Thank you. Loaded.

Stephanie

Locked,

Dani

and

Stephanie

loaded.

Hey friends, we wanna talk about some of the subjects that are a little bit heavier on our podcast. abuse isn't your fault and there are safe, confidential ways to get help. Domestic violence doesn't always look the same. It isn't just bruises or broken bones. It can be about controlling money, isolating you from your friends, constant surveillance or threats against your kids and pets. Abuse thrives in silence and breaking that silence is the first step to safety. the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available twenty four seven. Call 1 807 9 9 SAFE or 7 2 3 3 or text start to 8 8 7 8 8. You can also chat@thehotline.org. Advocates can help safety plan with you even if you're not ready to leave. If you're worried that your device is being monitored, it may be safest to call. Teens and young adults can also contact. Love is Respect at 8 6 6 3 3 1 9 4 7 4 or text. Love is 2 2 2 5, 2 2. For Native American and Alaska native survivors strong heart's, native helpline offers culturally specific 24 7 support at 8 4 4 7 native. If you are someone near you is in immediate danger, please call 9 1 1. You deserve safety.

Dani

And the case was set to proceed toward a jury trial in district court after Morrison entered a not guilty plea. Why? Prosecutors stated that if convicted on the charges, Morrison could face the death penalty. Yeah. In October, 2001, Morrison appeared in court and entered guilty plea to first degree murder for the shooting of Kathy and to first degree charge of rape for the assault of Heather

Stephanie

and I. That surprises me because I think we all know, some people think that if you're married, that there can't be a rape ever

Dani

true death.

Stephanie

That, that, that is truly the belief of some state's legislation and of some people

Dani

not anymore, but back in the day, it really was. It was really

Stephanie

a lot. I think it's still sometimes in some states isn't,

Dani

are you tasking me with another research

Stephanie

project? Marital rape? I, I think it's still out there. I will research and y'all can help us. You can let if, if you're an expert in the field, we would love to hear from you. Absolutely love. Because you know, we try to keep our finger on the pulse. But always learning though. Yeah, always learning. We don't know everything. And with 50 states it's so wild. Like I'd be very interested in Idaho if marital rape is even a thing. I

Dani

believe it is.

Stephanie

It wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't just seen.

Dani

In exchange for the guilty pleas, ADA County prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty and dismissed the charges of first degree kidnapping and domestic violence in the presence of a child. Which were the, no, they

Stephanie

made a deal and it was

Dani

Those were the least, the

Stephanie

the

Dani

charges.

Stephanie

The, yeah. I like the deal.

Dani

Shut the fuck up. You're going to jail.

Stephanie

Thank you. Bye. And hopefully you didn't bring forward an A super, a appealable case.

Dani

Deputy Ada County prosecutor, Julianne Mehan stated that resolving the case before trial would spare Heather from testifying. Explaining this has been so hard on the family, so sad and traumatic for the surviving victims. It is not very often someone is a victim and an eyewitness. It is an agonizing situation. I truly think this was a domestic violence situation. A lot of that will come out at the sentencing hearing,

Stephanie

and I agree. And can you imagine poor Heather being. And I don't wanna say poor Heather, but can you imagine Heather being subjected to cross the defense's job is to be defensing no matter how evil or uncouth or rude you think it is. I don't agree with it either. But if a defense doesn't put up a substantial defense,

Dani

then you're

Stephanie

looking at, now we can have bills.

Dani

A bills

Stephanie

of bills or acquittal.

Dani

Yeah.

Stephanie

Sometimes they'll just acquit and say, it was so bad

Dani

you did not have a good,

Stephanie

it was so bad. You just, you just get to go. Like, and so

Dani

they have to do their job and it's brutal to victims sometimes. Oh, all

Stephanie

the time. They, and they have to come at it at, with that lens of, my client is innocent. What do I need to do to show reasonable doubt? And to put her on the stand, especially since we know how women sexual assault victims are treated, consider any rape case that you've ever heard and the things that are put up by the defense,

Dani

especially in 2001.

Stephanie

Yes. And she watched her mother die and probably thought that she would die. The defense. It's par for the course.

Dani

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie

I'm not saying it's right or that I agree with it, but they would be having to, to ask very hard questions. IEI don't even feel comfortable like saying this, but I can totally see it of like, are you sure you weren't into it? I bet you that not in that slang that I used, that that question would've been asked, and even, maybe it would've even been more aggressive.

Dani

Do you know what I feel like too might've been said is. We, they've seen

Stephanie

this shit.

Dani

Yeah. Uh, did you try to hit him? Well, no, she didn't. Well, he's worried about her 2-year-old in the other room.

Stephanie

Yeah. Why didn't you have a gun?

Dani

That doesn't mean she's complicit.

Stephanie

Why didn't you have a gun on you to shoot a, a, a rapist partner of yours? Because this all no. Such a bad guy. The, there's cases where rape, they're like, but you were wearing a thong though. Like, doesn't that say something?

Dani

And then

the

Dani

victim's, like, I was wearing a thong underneath sweats

Stephanie

or, yeah. Or a thong underneath anything.

Dani

It's like, dude, they just try to make it and look.

Stephanie

So that's what I'm saying is like protecting her from,

Dani

so this is the best case scenario Yeah. For this family. Is it? It really is

Stephanie

in my eyes.

Dani

Yeah. Yeah. Just,

Stephanie

and I shut the fuck up. They, you're going to jail. I hope they agree because. It's so stupid how this shit goes down, but oh, anyone that's been through it can tell you. you could be a literal nun and they'll be like, did you wear mascara that day? Was your hair did, did you,

Dani

was your hair down?

Stephanie

Did you make prolonged eye contact? We heard,

Dani

oh my

Stephanie

God. There was a witness that said there was a prolonged eye contact.

Dani

Not, I do believe it has gotten better as the years have gone

Stephanie

by. Yes. But we grew up in an age where even if you had a open and shut slam dunk ca, I mean, what's the fuck that swimmer guy's name that was, they were like, well, yeah, he raped her, but he's got such a promising future. What? What? Someone fill it in the comments of, I, it's a very popular case, but they're like, but he's got a very promising. You want us to like

Dani

fuck your future bro?

Stephanie

You want us to hold him accountable for something?

Dani

Yeah, we do.

Stephanie

Yeah, we do. Because think of his daughters and his nieces and nephews or people I'll, I'll cut it off there because I'm getting,

Dani

I need this woman make would make you so mad.

Stephanie

I'll cut it off there.

Dani

Mehan said Kathy's family was present at the hearing and had been kept informed of the negotiations leading to the plea agreement, stating quote, if it was going to be resolved, we wanted to get it done. Now adding that Morrison could face life in prison on either the murder or rape charge. And she said, we are pleased with the outcome

Stephanie

and I think that family should always be consulted and given the options and it's not always

Dani

happening

Stephanie

and what that looks like long term.'cause listen. I'm glad I wasn't a judge in the seventies, eighties, nineties in Idaho.'cause I'd been like death penalty. Death penalty, death penalty. Which we know has been a fucking problem and has cost our state a lot of money. And we had made a lot of mistakes.

Dani

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie

Because that was allowed. I think it's so important to ask the family what do they really want? If even if you do want the death penalty, here's what that looks like. Explain to them that the appeals and the justice projects and,

Dani

and me sitting right here, right now, if somebody murdered one of my loved ones or a friend

Stephanie

mm-hmm.

Dani

I'm like, yeah, let's go. Boom. I want you dead. But then the rational part of my brain. Brain,

Stephanie

yes. Then you think of

Dani

what it's gonna cost would kick in. Do I really wanna go to. You know, all these appeals and redo

Stephanie

it again,

Dani

but you're hoping for the possibility

Stephanie

of life without parole. I think that knowing what a death sentence allows someone, it al and I think that go to, I think that it should because there have been so many death sentences, especially from the past before DNA, that people have fucking died and been put to death that shouldn't have. So I get it. I understand it. But when you, when everyone knows, if everyone's confident of who did what, just having the label of death penalty, you are now on a completely different path and you are on that path for the rest of your life. And you, that's

Dani

what you're saying, that

Stephanie

major

Dani

reaction is

Stephanie

pulled in. Yes, I them dead hold, pulled in,

Dani

but then you. Once you rationalize what that looks like,

Stephanie

and if they don't have death, they don't have as many appeal possibilities.

Dani

Right. The, the death penalty brings on so many appeals

Stephanie

and it should, but,

Dani

and it's,

Stephanie

they will

Dani

use it constant. I feel like in our cases that we have done it's constant appealing, like all the time and then having to relive that

Stephanie

for,

Dani

and waiting for constipation

Stephanie

medication. But it's not, this was an appeal. Who the fuck was that eight? I don't know. I don't

Dani

know. We're almost 60 episodes deep.

Stephanie

No, someone had a literal legal stand like thing where they were like, listen up. Um,

Dani

I need MiraLax. Don't give me that.

Stephanie

I don't want the great value. Fucking

Dani

generic.

Stephanie

Yeah. How do, like you're literally trying to kill me via constipation and it, so you're gonna be. Embedded in this fuckery forever. And listen, if you're a petty bitch and you wanna, you, you're like, yes, bitch, I'm down for it for the long count. Props to you. But I feel like some people don't know. And

Dani

I would be li I had a health issues. This is how this, this is why I know that wouldn't work for me. Like constantly going to these things. And there's people that do, and they're strong and can die on that hill. Like, I'm going to every fucking, and

Stephanie

I

Dani

love that court date. Good for you. Like I had, he, I literally, after I had some health issues, to not want to even go to the doctor for anything. I didn't wanna go get my teeth cleaned. I didn't wanna go to the eye doctor. I was so fucking, you're

Stephanie

done. You're

Dani

burnt. Burnt out.

Stephanie

Spent

Dani

on doctors for just upkeep. I'm like, oh God,

Stephanie

no. And so

Dani

it's time for my,

Stephanie

I know that I'm not that person either.

Dani

No, I and I literally, they're like, why don't you come in for your cleaning? And I'm like. I literally am so burn out on doctors and they're like,

Stephanie

it's teeth cleaning. Sorry, I didn't wanna be here, period.

Dani

Like I am just so over

Stephanie

the doctors. Doctors

Dani

right

Stephanie

now was the least of my worries.

Dani

Yeah. I'm, I don't care. Like I'm gonna give a pass. So these people that can, these victims

Stephanie

props. Props

Dani

that can keep

Stephanie

going and I think it should be their choice. Yeah. They, their opinion of

Dani

that's all

Stephanie

that matters. The prosecutor should be asking them, yep. Where do you wanna go?

Dani

Yep.

Stephanie

And I hate when I hear that they're left out.'cause usually it has happened, but it, yeah, they're left out and people are like, I either I didn't wanna do this for the rest of my life, or they don't even try for it and they don't consult the family. They're like, we would've been here. We want them. And I think that their opinion holds weight. So much weight for me.

Dani

Morrison pled ahead of the scheduled pretrial hearing, which is good'cause then the family and the attorneys arranged the agreement after determining they were close to resolving the case without proceeding to trial. And of course, Morrison's still in fucking custody and his sentencing was scheduled. And July, 2002, Morrison appeared for sentencing before fourth District Judge Joel Horton And the court imposed a sentence of life in prison with 25 years fixed for the murder and a concurrent life sentence with 10 years fixed for rape.

Stephanie

Well, that's one way to do it.

Dani

I don't like the concurrent part.

Stephanie

Concurrent means they have to go together. Yes. Or after

Dani

together. Consecutive means

Stephanie

you do one. You do another. Oh, well, if it was consecutive, I would've stood behind what I just said because then it's

Dani

the current,

Stephanie

they can all count to the same years. All right.

Dani

During the hearing, Morrison addressed the court and the family apologizing to Heather and Kathy's relatives stating I would like to apologize to my wife for beating her and raping her and making her watch her mother die. I,

Stephanie

this is so wild to me. I don't even have a response.

Dani

My background is no excuse. You know, I have the background in my story and I'm, I don't, I don't fucking care. I don't care. There are, I'm not even gonna tell you what his background is because

Stephanie

for someone to say that, like,

Dani

I don't fucking care.

Stephanie

Why would you say that and not like, give anything as to.

Dani

Oh, I know. Because you know,

Stephanie

it almost sounds like they're like, yes, I raped my wife, I killed her mom. Like a happy thing.

Dani

But it's no excuse. But that's also saying, listen to my excuse. That's in my fucking opinion. And yeah. I'm not even gonna, yes, he has some childhood trauma, uh, frankly, who doesn't?

Stephanie

And, and, uh,

Dani

I'm not worried

Stephanie

about it. We're all not murdering about it. And in this, in this fucking, go fuck

Dani

yourself.

Stephanie

Atrocious way. Atrocious way.

Dani

Yeah. This, it's not even, mm. Fuck

Stephanie

you to enact the most harm and no. Bye, Felicia.

Dani

The court considered arguments from both sides regarding the appropriate sentence with prosecutors requesting life in prison without the possibility of parole. Yes. And defense attorneys requesting a fixed term of 10 years. What the fuck?

Stephanie

10 years,

Dani

go fuck yourself.

Stephanie

You are shitting my dick. You are shitting my dick.

Dani

Judge Horton imposed a sentence requiring Morrison to serve at least the 25 years in prison. And stated quote, I don't think I can use words to sum up the brutality of your crime.

Stephanie

Could not agree more with that. I could not agree more with that because it's like, and I, that's the, A judge's very classy way of like shooting down.'cause again,

Dani

judge's

Stephanie

saying what you're, your defense is supposed to ask for as much as they can. It's like a negotiation, right? Mm-hmm. So you can't be like, well I could do like 70 years. No, you've gotta ask for. Something super low knowing that you're not gonna get it. I understand that, but the judge is

Dani

10 fucking

Stephanie

years. The judge is like, this is fucking atrocious. Just, just so you

Dani

know, I have nothing to fucking say.

Stephanie

There's no doubt that this was fucking terrible. So

Dani

I have nothing to fucking say.

Stephanie

Sorry. So sorry. To your defense,

Dani

I've

Stephanie

really by,

Dani

I really feel like he should have caught life without the possibility of parole.

Stephanie

I wish that he could have swung. It's not constitutional what I'm asking for, so I'll keep my mouth closed.

Dani

He wish he would've been put in jail with Creech,

Stephanie

with the the duct tape fences and the razors. A hundred percent.

Dani

I knew you'd agree to that.

Stephanie

If Creech could be a contract killer for the worst of the worst. I'd still hire him To this day, I don't wanna, because

Dani

he's been around a long time,

Stephanie

time, I don't have the power or money, and I don't know if Creech has the ability anymore, but I, I think that there was a time where he would, and maybe that was a missed opportunity. Just, just to think about it. Just not to put in reality, just to think about it. Of like, Creech, did you know that this person abused this many kids? It, I know you loved, I know you loved the Slicey d I'm just, no, I'm just telling you, no one would be mad if he did. Anyway, it, that's, that's just a pure dreamland. Yeah.

Dani

Following the sentencing, Heather spoke about the outcome and the possibility that Morrison could one day be released stating it won't bring my mom back. It's hard to say how I feel. Because I do feel like there's some relief, like, okay, it is 25 to life

Stephanie

and that he can't get to her. Yeah. Because he clearly want a, a child or not. Pain.

Dani

The hearing included statements for members of Kathy's family, including her husband, Ugh. Ron, who described the impact of her destiny stating that event changed my life. I always, in 25

Stephanie

years,

Dani

imagined my wife and I would have many more years together. She was a good wife, a good mother, good counsel, and she supported me. The only thing that keeps me going is my children and family.

Stephanie

Oh my God. Like this is just such a loss. Like this is the couple that I think a lot of people would aspire to be, and I

Dani

feel

Stephanie

like,

Dani

and then they fucking love, like I love the council. Yeah. You know, as.

Stephanie

She

Dani

trust a partner.

Stephanie

He trusted her.

Dani

Yeah. As a partner to have your partner be your counsel where you can bounce ideas off and

Stephanie

you get Yes. And they will give advice and nuanced and I feel like,

Dani

and they know you. Yeah. And they know you.

Stephanie

I feel like so many young men have a picture of what a good marriage is. Not every young man, but I feel like this is, when people talk about the American dream and think about relationships and how it was so common. Like you just have to get married. I feel like these two really,

Dani

they had

Stephanie

it hit the, they hit the jackpot. Yeah. They went outside of societal norms for their time. Mm-hmm. Of her working to support him getting so he

Dani

could further,

Stephanie

and this was, people would probably think they're weird or like, what the fuck? And they didn't care. They did what they needed to do for their family and for each other. For each one to be the best version of themselves. Yep. And I feel like that's gotten so lost, and I hate this, that people are still trying to bring it in like these tra quote unquote traditional family values because. In this economy, we just gotta make it work. And this is, how can we work traditional? How can we work together to make it work? Your partner, why don't we help?

Dani

Your partner is your fucking person partner. Yeah. And that, I just love that he said counsel, because I love that I can, I have somebody in my life

Stephanie

mm-hmm.

Dani

That I can go and be like, what do you think?

Stephanie

And you know that they're going to give you

Dani

Yes.

Stephanie

An answer and not just to further their own benefits, but they are willing to see your perspective. And

Dani

I just love that statement that out of a good wife, a

Stephanie

good mother, yeah. That's, that's why this range tear up, up

Dani

a good counsel

Stephanie

No. For a man in that time, to, to label a woman as a good counsel is huge. Smart

Dani

and rational.

Stephanie

She was a smarty pants and

Dani

she knew her husband and could direct like give him some direction, which we all need in our lives.

Stephanie

He trusted her.

Dani

Yeah.

Stephanie

He's like, yeah, my buddy that works in car sales might not be the best advice. My wife that knows my whole entire life inside and out

Dani

is my best advice.

Stephanie

And again, young men, I know it's not everyone, but just take this with a grain of salt, but just let it sink in. This is the real goal. This is the real goal. A partnership. A partnership.

Dani

Mm-hmm. Kathy's sister, Chris Daniels also addressed the court stating, I have five kids and my children are scared. Something's going to happen. Look at their family history. Jesus.

Stephanie

Yeah.

Dani

You can be murdered at any time. Just yesterday, I wanted to call my sister and tell her about the birth of my new grandson, but I couldn't, and I just sat there and cried.

Stephanie

No, that's the shit that keeps on getting at you even sometimes years after you've lost someone. Yeah.

Dani

You just like, oh my gosh, I need to, and realizing,

Stephanie

because your brain is like, yes, this is, that sucks.

Dani

Prosecutor stated that Morrison brought a, that loaded handgun, handcuffs and duct tape into the home and had expressed beforehand that he intended to assault Heather. A

Stephanie

sick fuck. This is someone that had a plan

Dani

because he was angry, she wanted a

Stephanie

divorce. And for someone to spiral this much into this, I, listen, I'm not saying it's right. I can see someone going and shooting everyone. I think that's also extremely terrible. But someone to plan out, I need handcuffs. I need duct tape because I am not just gonna kill everyone. I have a plan of torture. This is

Dani

another, he wanted to level assault Heather because she was angry. She wanted a divorce, and Meehan stated this murder and rape didn't just happen. It was cold, calculated and callous.

Stephanie

No, he went there to enact

Dani

the worst,

Stephanie

not only physical damage. He wanted to fucking deeply wound people, and they want to almost leave their mark on you like a tattoo. Like this is, that's my opinion. Oh yeah. That's my opinion.

Dani

No, listen. Defense attorney Gus Cahill, who has been in many of our cases. Mm-hmm. who defense, the defense, and then he's be doing it, argued that Morrison did not intend to kill Kathie and instead intended to harm Heather and then kill himself stating, I don't think the killing was premeditated and adding that Morrison showed remorse

Stephanie

mm-hmm.

Dani

And had the potential for rehabilitation. No,

Stephanie

no. Again, Danny, I understand that the defenses have to be defensive, but for him to say that he intended to go there and just kill

Dani

himself,

Stephanie

that was the furthest from his fucking mind. well, I, I

Dani

don't know if he was, look, if he would've just showed up with a gun without bullets. And if so,

Stephanie

I'm not gonna say it.

Dani

Okay.

Stephanie

I'm so sorry.

Dani

Okay. Are you, I knew this was gonna get your all.

Stephanie

And

Dani

that it's horrible.

Stephanie

It's such a horrible, horrible, I I want us to tell these stories and that's why I think it's important because I think for so many younger women or women that even if they're not young, if they've never experienced a relationship like this, if they can start to pick out these little signs and know the actual risk, that is what makes it worth it for me. That is why I'm like, even though this has fucking triggered me to my core, I know Danny, you told you, you brought all the nuance of it and the all the things. So I, I appreciate these stories. I don't love them.

Dani

No,

Stephanie

but I think they're so fucking important,

Dani

uh, because, and we have stated this time and time again. The most dangerous time for a woman

Stephanie

is when you've,

Dani

when she leaves, and this is just proof of that. Um,

Stephanie

again,

Dani

well, James Morrison is currently 50 years old and in the central Arizona Florence Correctional Complex. Cool. Shipped him off, die ch,

Stephanie

die choke, burn,

Dani

all of those, this is not gonna make you happy. He will be eligible for parole on May 16th, 2026.

Stephanie

I wanna go, like, I want to be like, listen, that is so fucking unbelievable to me. I

Dani

don't

Stephanie

think

Dani

he's gonna get it. I don't think

Stephanie

he's gonna get it. I hope he doesn't. I don't think there's any amount of work if, if you're geared in to do this type of shit to enact. Terror, not just kill. I'm not saying that killing someone is no big deal. I'm saying I can understand how someone could snap or like why they the motives, but to enact torture on someone while killing someone else, when your child's in the home, something is not clicking. It's not clicking. Steven, like, that's like in a few weeks. I,

Dani

I was shocked.

Stephanie

That makes me even more, I, oh, I so feel bad for this family and I, I hope that they. Do not give it to him.

Dani

He's not gonna get it.

Stephanie

He's not gonna fucking get it. Let's, the state of Idaho, he's not getting it. Family. If there's something that we can do to fucking help, like,

Dani

I don't even know what it is, but if you need a body at a place, I'll,

Stephanie

I'll go. We can try to get there or like, we're gonna put this episode out so hopefully people rally. Like, I'm sorry, you're, it helps to get out now. We've both been upset. I don't want you to feel bad. Okay. Anyway, go fuck yourself. Choke, die burn, et cetera. You fucking absolute piece of shit. I'm so sorry to the family. Reach out if you'd like to the Lethal library@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook and TikTok.

Dani

I kind of put this right, right up there with my, uh, Angie Leon.

Stephanie

Angie Leon.

Dani

Yeah. Yeah. The, these domestic violence that goes this far and are just, ugh. So not that murder's not brutal, but. I can't fucking imagine. And, anyway,

Stephanie

it's extra, extra terrible for

Dani

sure. It, it really is. And, I have emotion about it.

Stephanie

Mm-hmm. Um, and I feel like I'm a well curated murder mystery gout. Well, we've heard the worst of the worst. and so that's, yeah. It's not like a badge of honor, but

Dani

yeah. These are, these are brutal. But

Stephanie

I think, I think it's because we just, we have friends, neighbors, family coworkers that we know have gone through this. And this is such a consistent fucking theme. And I, if there was one thing that I could do in society, switch this off. Like,'cause it's so terrible and it ends in the worst ways. Always. Even if, even if no one dies,

Dani

it's still bad.

Stephanie

It,

Dani

even if Kathy hadn't been murdered, the ripple

Stephanie

effects

Dani

if she had just been raped

Stephanie

or

Dani

tied up.

Stephanie

Yeah.

Dani

And then wash her. I mean, like, you could just, it was just horrible.

Stephanie

Yeah.

Dani

okay. I have to say something.

Stephanie

Say it.

Dani

All of our new, um, subscribers. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. we've been hustling for a year and a half doing this. Yeah. And this week has been fantastic and exciting for us. please reach out if there's any, cases that you'd like us to do,

Stephanie

especially Idaho

Dani

especially, but we're open to the Pacific Northwest. Yeah, that's, we're kind of con trying to, we're

Stephanie

in this area.

Dani

We don't wanna keep redo. We don't wanna redo. Look, we're no Dateline, right? We can't compete. Yeah. So we don't wanna do those big cases because. They don't,

Stephanie

haveve been, they've been done 20

Dani

times over and we would have nothing to contribute at this point. but, we'd love to hear case ideas, any feedback. and we're just super excited.

Stephanie

We're so happy like

Dani

that you guys have really

Stephanie

came,

Dani

so

Stephanie

you guys have been downloading the fuck out of the shit and, and

Dani

we're downloading

Stephanie

the

Dani

fuck outta the shit. We love it. So thank you very, very much. Also, we know word of mouth, biggest deal

Stephanie

biggest, and again,

Dani

so if you know any murder mystery junkies out there that, like these type of,

Stephanie

podcasts, yeah, please, please share. Please give us grace on our first episodes. We know we didn't know shit about fuck, especially, so we know. again, and we're

Dani

not perfect right now either, but we're still

Stephanie

learning. No, we, we are gonna keep growing. We're

Dani

just a couple of gals doing

Stephanie

this,

Dani

a couple

Stephanie

of gals

Dani

just doing this,

Stephanie

having a drink and discussing,

Dani

oh, you're empty.

Stephanie

Oops. Let's go get a refill. We're gonna have a refill. We love you guys. Uh, ten four River Ducky. Fuck. Yeah.

We did want to add, if you want to submit a statement opposing the parole of James Lee Morrison, you can mail your letter to the Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole at 3 0 5 6 Elder Street in Boise, Idaho, 8 3 7 0 5 addit. Additionally, you can also mail your statement to paroleweb@copp.idaho.gov. If you're a family member or directly impacted, you can contact their victim services team at ParoleVictimServices@copp.idaho.gov. Make sure to include his name and IDOC number. That's James Lee Morrison IDOC number 66903.

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Dani

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Stephanie

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