Morse guilty: Crash injured Megabucks winner, killed her sister

Thursday, March 8, 2001 | 11:40 a.m.

A jury convicted Clark Morse this morning of all counts in the drunken-driving accident last year that left Megabucks winner Cynthia Jay-Brennan paralyzed and killed her sister, Lela Ann Jay.

Anna Fitzgerald, mother of both women, expressed satisfaction through a veil of tears this morning for the District Court jury's decision.

Morse, 57, showed no emotion as the verdict was read. His mother, Vera Morse, also showed little emotion as she watched the verdicts being read.

"The system finally did its job," Fitzgerald said.

Before the accident March 11, 2000, Morse had been arrested at least 16 times for alcohol and driving-related offenses but escaped serious jail time.

The jury of eight women and four men found Morse guilty of involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence resulting in death, and driving with 0.10 or more blood-alcohol level at the time of the death of Jay, who was a passenger in Jay-Brennan's Camaro.

The jury also found him guilty of driving under the influence with substantial bodily harm in the crippling injuries of Jay-Brennan, 38, as well as driving with more than the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.

The jury found Morse guilty of reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. However District Judge Valorie Vega dismissed the charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless driving as being repetitive.

The jury also found Morse guilty of leaving the scene of an accident in connection with the injuries of others in the five-car pile-up: Nita Reinhard, Bill Miller, Jeffrey Casale, Willie Harden and Joseph Barton. The jury also found Morse guilty of driving on a revoked license.

He faces a prison term of up to 166 years when he goes before Vega for sentencing.

Morse, who went to two bars before the collision, was found asleep at his mother's house after the accident. Blood tests three hours after the accident found Morse had blood alcohol levels of 0.18 and 0.15. The legal limit is 0.10 in Nevada.

Defense attorneys John Moran Jr. and Lew Brandon, tried to convince the jury that Morse had diminished mental capacity, presenting only three witnesses, one a psychologist who testified that Morse was mentally retarded.

Deputy District Attorneys Bruce Nelson and Gary Booker, however, pointed out that Morse had the ability to devise a plan that included taking the keys to his mother's Ford Explorer, driving it to two bars, buying drinks for himself and others, getting into the vehicle and attempting to drive home.