Thursday, July 10, 2003 | 11:19 a.m.
A district judge on Wednesday imposed strict house arrest guidelines on the Las Vegas woman who was talking on her cell phone when she caused a collision that killed two people.
District Judge Nancy Saitta said the Department of Parole and Probation gave local Realtor Karen Morris too much freedom by allowing her to spend entire days away from home while on house arrest.
Saitta last month sentenced Morris to 30 days in the Clark County Detention Center for violating the terms of her probation after Morris was caught working out at a local gym.
Morris was expected to be released from the jail on that charge this morning.
After tightening the reins on Morris' house arrest, Saitta reminded Morris that her case was not a typical reckless driving case and should not be taken lightly.
"The loss of life in this case can't be minimized," she said. "So I take this case pretty seriously."
Saitta ordered Morris to remain on house arrest for at least six months and shortened the hours Morris can leave her home during the day. The duration of the house arrest beyond the six-month minimum will be up to the discretion of the Department of Parole and Probation.
Saitta also instructed Morris to prepare a presentation on the dangers of reckless driving to be presented to local high school and driver education students.
She said the presentations could teach teen drivers how "a moment of inattentiveness can affect the lives of so many people."
Erin Breen, director of UNLV's Safe Community Partnership, said more judges should consider ordering school presentations when sentencing defendants.
"Bravo to the judge," she said. "This is creative and has the potential to reach lots of drivers. If we can get the message out early, maybe people won't develop these bad driving habits."
Outside court Morris' attorney, Lamond Mills, said he was surprised by the strict guidelines.
"Those are the toughest conditions of house arrest I've ever seen in 30 years," he said. "But those are the terms, and she has to deal with that."
Prosecutor Gary Booker said the short leash would send a strong message to other defendants.
"This sends a message that house arrest doesn't mean playing around," he said. "She'll get along just fine with the strict guidelines. Everyone else does."
Morris, 35, was placed on five years' probation and ordered to spend 26 weekends in jail after pleading guilty to three counts of felony reckless driving in the March 2001 collision that killed Leona Greif, 61, and Marcia Nathans, 65.
Authorities say she was speeding and talking on a cell phone when the collision occurred.
Department of Parole and Probation officials said they allowed Morris to leave her home from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday to work and take care of her personal needs.
Greif's sister, Harriet Cohen, said she was happy Saitta restricted Morris' house arrest but said she wished the judge would have reinstated Morris' suspended prison sentence of four to 12 years.
"I believe she had too much freedom," she said. "What (Morris) did was completely reckless and irresponsible."
Saitta reduced Morris' time away from home to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon on weekends.
Saitta said any business outside work or activities with Morris' school-age daughter must be approved by the Department of Parole and Probation.
"You must seek specific permission," she said.
Saitta also ordered Morris to perform an additional two hours of community service for each hour she spent at the gym.
She said she would announce the terms of the community service program at an Aug. 11 hearing, but that the service would likely deal with foster care or senior citizens.
Breen said she believes Morris could make a difference in teaching other drivers, particularly teens, safe driving habits.
"In my dealings with teen drivers, they respond really well with people who can say 'This is what happened to me,' " she said. "I don't see any downside to this."
Cohen said ordering Morris to make the presentations was a good idea, even though it won't bring back her sister.
"Maybe some good will come out of this," she said.
archive
