TAUNTON -- The Middleboro man who is accused of last week's mugging outside Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall and a knifepoint robbery at Dunkin' Donuts was ordered held in lieu of $15,000 cash bail yesterday.
Richard E. Morse Jr., 41, of 1 Everett St., was arraigned in Taunton District Court before Judge Kevan J. Cunningham.
The charges against him, two counts of armed robbery, one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and a count of receiving a stolen motor vehicle, were continued to Feb. 7.
Morse is accused of threatening a woman with a knife outside the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall off Jackson Street last Thursday. He allegedly stole her pocketbook, Bible and cellular phone.
Then last Friday, he allegedly went into the Dunkin' Donuts at Harts Four Corners, grabbed the woman behind the counter and threatened her with a knife. He was arrested on Route 44 in Raynham, allegedly driving a stolen pick-up truck. A knife and cash, allegedly from Dunkin' Donuts, were seized, police said.
As one reason for setting bail, Judge Cunningham noted that Morse "confessed to both crimes," according to court records.
Morse's attorney, Frank D. Camera, said his client is a formerly recovering drug addict, who "fell off the wagon" sometime before his arrest.
"He's got a serious drug problem, both cocaine and heroin. He apparently does an excessive amount of both," Camera said.
While police pursued Morse late Friday night, two officers crashed head-on while driving on Summer Street. Neither officer, Dennis Scully and Robert Lima, was noticeably injured. But police yesterday said both cars will be out of commission for some time.
©The Taunton Gazette 2002