Manassas teen’s murder trial postponed

By Amanda Stewart

Published: April 11, 2008

The capital murder trial of a Manassas teen has been postponed while attorneys wait for DNA evidence.

Dominique Laquan Morris, 18, of 8901 Nicol Lane, Apt. 203, in Manassas was set to stand trial later this month on 14 felony charges, including one charge of capital murder for the May shooting death of Jermaine Antonio Williams.

Morris' defense attornies Ronald Fahy and Chester Banks, filed a motion Friday to continue the case because DNA evidence related to the case is not yet available.

Prince William Circuit Court Judge Lon E. Ferris continued the trial to Aug. 11.

Morris was originally scheduled to stand trial April 21 on charges of capital murder, murder, conspiracy to commit murder, malicious wounding, robbery, attempted malicious wounding, armed statutory burglary, two counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling and five counts of use or display of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Morris is one of three men charged in the death of Williams, 23, who was shot during a May 7 home invasion at a town house on Whitaker Place in Dale City.

Police said that Morris and the two other men, George Rayfus Quinn, 22, and Ricardo Xavier Haley, 25, drove to Williams' house with plans to rob him. When they got there, they forced their way in and started shooting, police said at the time.

Williams was shot several times before he was able to escape from the house. He died on the front porch of a town house a block away, where he went for help, police said.

One other man was shot in the incident and a third was injured by broken glass when he jumped through a window to escape the shooting.

Quinn is scheduled to stand trial on 13 felony charges, including two counts of capital murder on June 16.

Haley is charged with nine felonies, including first-degree murder. He is scheduled to enter a plea to his charges on July 17.

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-878-8014.