Lawyers for Morris twins want new grand jury in felony assault case

Lawyers for NBA forwards Marcus and Markieff Morris want a new grand jury in their felony assault case

The defense attorneys for NBA forwards Marcus and Markieff Morris filed a motion wanting a judge to send their assault case back to the grand jury after claiming that prosecutors in the case presented false information leading to their client’s indictment, reports the Arizona Republic’s Anthony Marroquin.

Both players were charged with felony aggravated assault after a fight in January at a Phoenix recreation center. The twins have pleaded not guilty to the charge and were not in court on Monday for their pretrial conference. The Maricopa County, Ariz. Superior Court says they are due back in court on Sept. 16.

The Morris twins and three others, former USC safety Gerald Bowman, Julius Kane and Christopher Melendez, are accused of assault after a man allegedly sent "inappropriate" text messages to the twins’ mother.

According to a police report, the victim, Erik Hood, said he and another woman had been watching a basketball game at the center when he was attacked by Kane and then were joined by others in the beating.

Hood was punched in the head and tried to run but was caught by another man, while at least three others attacked him, according to the police report. He suffered a broken nose and abrasions in the attack.

In court documents, the Morris’s attorney said prosecutors failed to share testimony of a witness to the indecent who said that the Morris twins were in a parking "at least 100 yards away from the fracas,” and also failed to tell the grand jury that Hood had changed story multiple times. The motion also says that no witness is able put the twins within 15 or 20 feet from the attack.

The Morris twins played for the Phoenix Suns last season before Marcus Morris was traded to the Detroit Pistons last month in a salary cap move. 

The Suns signed the twins to four-year contract extensions in September 2014, with Markieff receiving $32 million and Marcus getting $20 million.

Markieff Morris averaged 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds and Marcus Morris averaged 10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds this season for the Suns.

- Scooby Axson