Jury Selection, Opening Statements Make Up First Day of Susie Zhao Murder Trial
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Warning: The following article contains graphic details involving murder and sexual assault.
The trial for accused Susie Zhao murderer Jeffery Bernard Morris, 62, got underway on Monday, Oct. 3, revealing additional details in the disturbing case that has captivated the poker community.
Morris stands trial in Michigan’s Oakland County Circuit Court for the July 2020 murder of Zhao, a poker player who had moved to Michigan to live with family during the COVID-19 pandemic. Police discovered Zhao's badly burned and mutilated body in a state recreation area and later charged and arrested Morris, a convicted sex offender with a violent criminal history who prosecutors allege sexually assaulted Zhao and burned her alive.
While much of what was discussed on Monday had become available during the investigation, the trial revealed new insights, including that Zhao had been diagnosed with schizophrenia before the murder. Here's what happened on Day 1 of the Susie Zhao murder trial.
Read up on the background in the Susie Zhao murder case
Selecting the Jury
After a one-hour delay, Judge Martha Anderson began selecting the jury in the high-profile murder case and read the charges against Morris, which include a first-degree premeditated murder charge and a second murder charge that was later added.
Anderson asked the prospective jurors a series of questions about their background and any potential biases or conflicts they may have in the case.
The jurors also received instructions from prosecutors, who noted that it would be a difficult case with filled graphic evidence and instructed the jury that they "have to look at it clinically" and "not emotionally."
Defense attorney Michael McCarthy, meanwhile, told the jurors that their job was not to solve the case but to determine "whether the people (prosecution) have proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt."
Several jurors were dismissed for various conflicts and it took a few hours for the jury to be finalized. After a lunch break, the 12 jurors returned and took the juror's oath before being given instructions by Judge Anderson.
The Last to See Zhao Alive
During opening arguments, the prosecution laid out the case against Morris, alleging that he met Zhao at a gas station around July 10, 2020 and assaulted and killed her in the early hours between July 12 and July 13.
As they shared with the jury Morris' Internet search history in the week leading up to the murder — including multiple searches for violent "fisting" pornography that was "something that the defendant was very into" — prosecutors showed a graphic photo of Zhao's burned body.
"(Morris) used Zhao to make his violent fantasies come true," said lead prosecutor John Skrzynski.
As laid out by the prosecution, Zhao allegedly met up with an old friend from grade school on July 10 after meeting Morris. The friend told investigators Zhao had been “acting strange" and had taken her car without permission before returning a few hours later.
The friend also believed that Zhao, who prosecutors revealed had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, had stolen some of her pills, so on July 12 she asked Zhao to pack up her things and leave. Zhao's mother picked her up and took her to her house, which is where Zhao had been living after recently moving from Los Angeles.
That night, Zhao's mother and stepfather headed to dinner and left the 33-year-old at home.
“And when they leave her, they leave her alive for the last time, they never see her alive again," Skrzynski said. "They don’t come back until 10, and by that time, Susie is gone.”
A Graphic Case
As the prosecution went over the grisly details of the case, many of which became known in the early investigatory stages, they noted that Morris' phone search history in the days ahead of the murder had revealed an obsession with violent "fisting" and "punch-fisting" pornography.
"And this is something that the defendant obviously gets sexual gratification (from)," Skrzynski said.
Additionally, investigators allegedly found a photo of a gas can on Morris' phone. On July 11, prosecutors say he purchased a similar one-gallon plastic gas can and “filled that gas can up” on July 12.
Based on witness interviews and cell phone data, prosecutors allege that Morris picked up Zhao in his car around 8:30 p.m., at which point he met up with a friend to get money for a hotel room. The friend gave Morris $60 and allegedly saw a female passenger wearing a hat and sunglasses who he couldn't identify.
Morris then drove to Sherwood Motel and paid $55 in cash for a room, according to prosecutors, who say he and Zhao later went to a party store.
Prosecutors say they "don't know exactly what happened" between 10 and 11:30 p.m., but they allege that Morris went to a store around 11:41 p.m. and shoplifted zip ties and a jar of Vaseline before returning to Sherwood Hotel. Cell phone data showed that Morris' phone had left the hotel while Zhao's two phones had stayed at the hotel.
"We think he bound Susie's hands with the zip ties ... we think that she went along with the idea of being bound with the zip ties," said Skrzynski.
According to the case laid out on Monday, Morris drove Zhao to an isolated dirt road "inside the forest" after "talk(ing) her into going with him in the forest." Upon getting her "to lay down ... in this very secluded area," prosecutors say Morris "(took) his fist and he hit her" in the genital area before "sprink(ling) the gas can over her and ... light(ing) her on fire while she's still alive."
"We believe that that was done for a sexual reason," Skrzynski said.
After that, prosecutors say Morris left Zhao's body and gave a group of friends a ride before returning to the Sherwood Motel, where he "start(ed) looking at pornography" until he leaves around 5 or 6 a.m. Cell phone data shows all three phones leaving the hotel together at this time, according to prosecutors.
The Defense
Defense attorney McCarthy told the jury Morris had been awaiting the trial for two years and "considers it his day for vindication."
McCarthy emphasized that the prosecution didn't have any eyewitnesses to the crime, which he noted "is serious stuff that we're going to look at."
"Accusing someone and having a theory on the one hand is a lot different than proving that theory," said McCarthy. "Those are two distinct and separate things."
McCarthy also noted that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution, who must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Morris is guilty of killing Zhao.
"I submit to you and will argue in closing that it was not Mr. Morris," the defense attorney said.
Poker Community Awaits Answers
After the opening statements from the defense and prosecution, Judge Anderson adjourned the court for the day and anticipated that the trial will last a week.
That means the poker community should soon get answers about the horrific death of Zhao, who was a regular in the LA cash game scene and who made multiple deep runs in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event.
Those in the poker community who considered Zhao a close friend include Ronnie Bardah, Xuan Liu, Brandon Shack-Harris and Clayton Fletcher, who described "Susie Q" as "one of the bubbliest and most vivacious opponents I’ve ever had."
@RonnieBardah What the fuckkkkkk!?!?! Had NFI until I saw this. Tons of great experiences playing and talking with… https://t.co/Vt540M3d9g
— 🎈Brandon Shack-Harris (@Oscillator_WSOP)
Day 2 of the trial will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 8:30 a.m. local time and is expected to wrap up around 4:30 p.m. PokerNews will continue covering the trial in the coming days.
Images courtesy of Oakland County Circuit Court
