A Durango man suspected of assaulting a laundromat owner is defending himself in a criminal trial this week in 6th Judicial District Court.
Jason Morrison, wearing shackles and an orange jail-issued jumpsuit, struggled at times to articulate his defense and had even more troubles following courtroom procedures while appearing Monday before jurors and District Judge Kim Shropshire.
Morrison is charged with felony assault for allegedly backing his van into Clark Kelman, owner of the North Main Laundry at 2980 Main Ave., in March 2023.
Miles Dudley, the prosecutor, said Morrison became upset because a machine wasn’t working. Kelman offered Morrison a refund, but Morrison became even more upset, used foul language and left the business in a fit of rage.
The laundromat owner told Morrison he would not be allowed to return. As Morrison exited the business, the owner stepped outside to photograph Morrison’s license plate, and that is when Morrison backed into Kelman, pinning him against the wall of the building, the prosecutor said.
Kelman suffered a fractured arm and a fractured pelvis.
Morrison on Monday chalked it up to one big accident. He said he had no intention of backing into Kelman. He wasn’t thinking clearly after the argument, he told jurors, and he may have had problems with the gears or parking brake. At one point, he suggested he wasn’t in town at the time of the incident.
His statements seemed disjointed and at times unclear.
Morrison has refused to work with public defenders, including one the court appointed to assist him in his own defense.
“If my ship sinks, it sinks on my own behalf,” Morrison told jurors.
He acknowledged his lack of polish: “I’m not a Toastmaster,” he said.
Without counsel to aid him, Judge Shropshire had to spend a considerable amount of time trying to keep Morrison in line with court rules and procedures.
During voir dire, when attorneys have a chance to question prospective jurors about their ability to be fair and impartial, Morrison quickly veered off course and began defending himself to the jurors, forcing Shropshire to intervene and redirect him.
Later, Morrison ignored courtroom procedures by continuing to ask witnesses questions even after they had been formally released from their service.
Shropshire was initially lenient but eventually issued a final warning to Morrison that he would not be permitted to proceed with questioning in such a manner for the remainder of the trial.
Morrison wanted to keep two Durango police officers who took the stand Monday under subpoena, as he had not prepared the evidence he wanted to present ahead of time.
Both Dudley and Shropshire expressed their unease at that request, saying it would be unfair to the officers and take up an unnecessary amount of time.
Morrison arrived to his trial without a flash drive containing the evidence he needed and had not opened a computer the courts provided him with in order to display his exhibits.
In an effort to speed up the pace of the trial and avoid recalling witnesses, Dudley offered to produce the photos and videos Morrison said he needed. Shropshire indulged the “collaboration” between the defense and the prosecution, presumably due to Morrison’s inexperience at practicing law.
The trial is scheduled to continue through Thursday. Thirteen jurors, including one alternate, are serving on the jury.
jbowman@durangoherald.com