Defendant in contract murder case hospitalized

Kim Smith

Wednesday, May 17, 2000 | 10:40 a.m.

A 70-year-old Las Vegas man awaiting trial for allegedly taking a murder contract out on his wife for her refusal to help him arrange another contract killing is in the hospital.

Defense attorney Daniel Bunin told District Judge Michael Douglas Tuesday that Morris Wade has been hospitalized at University Medical Center for about one week suffering from visual and auditory hallucinations, an ulcer problem and one to three-day-long sleeps caused by mental problems.

According to police, Wade threatened his wife with a shotgun in January 1996 when she refused to withdraw $5,000 from their bank account so he could hire a hitman to kill someone who was going to testify against him in a misdemeanor case.

Wade couldn't withdraw the money himself because he was on house arrest, and when he asked his wife to take out the money, she went to the police, according to testimony.

Shortly after his arrest, police said, Wade asked an undercover police officer to kill his wife for $15,000.

Wade is awaiting trial on five different charges, including solicitation to commit murder and coercion with the use of a deadly weapon.

After hearing about Wade's problems Tuesday, Douglas set a status hearing for June 20.

At that time, Douglas said, he will try to determine if Lake's Crossing, a state mental health facility, is equipped to handle Wade's physical ailments or if he should remain at UMC.