Defense to open case for alleged 311 Boyz member

Tuesday, June 1, 2004 | 10:49 a.m.

The defense is scheduled to begin its case today in the trial of alleged 311 Boyz gang member Scott Morse.

The team will look to recover from a damaging day of testimony that saw one of Morse's friends reluctantly recount how Morse was "jubilant" after throwing rocks at the victim's truck.

Natasha McLaughlin testified that after Morse threw a rock at the speeding truck carrying Craig Lefevre, Joseph Grill and Stephen Tanner Hansen, he said "We got those (expletives) and this is not going to be the end, we're going to kill them."

McLaughlin's testimony was crucial because McLaughlin is admittedly good friends with Morse and all of his eight former codefendants.

Morse, the only one of the nine originally charged in the 311 Boyz cases to go to trial, faces three counts of attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon, as well as multiple counts of coercion and battery with the use of a deadly weapon.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Laurent made it clear that McLaughlin wasn't happy to be testifying against Morse by saying "We had great difficulty getting you (McLaughlin) here, had to have investigators come twice to school to find you (McLaughlin)."

McLaughlin, still in tears, validated Laurent's comments saying, "No, I didn't want to be here."

Laurent asked McLaughlin, "Are you crying because you feel like you are hurting Scott?" McLaughlin wiped the tears away from her face and turned toward Morse saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Earlier during Friday's testimony, Anthony Gallion, a friend and former codefendant with Morse, said he saw Morse throw a rock in an overhand motion at the truck. Gallion also said that two days after the rock attack, Morse admitted to throwing a rock into the passenger window of the truck.

Additionally, Gallion testified that after the rocks were thrown, Morse and Farley were saying "I got it, I got it," indicating they had each hit the passing truck.

Gallion said that when everyone was leaving the scene of the attack he was puzzled as to Morse's reasoning for sticking around for the police.

"Scott (Morse) said he was going to stay at the scene and file a report," Gallion said. "I asked him, 'Why are you staying to file a report when you threw a rock?' and he (Morse) said 'It just looks better.' "

While McLaughlin and Gallion testified about what they allegedly saw Morse do and say in connection with the rock attack, the victim showed the court what the results of those alleged actions were. Stephen Tanner Hansen testified to close the state's case. Hansen kept his composure as he recounted the events that have so far resulted in two surgeries on his face and one on his arm.

"They (Steve Gazlay and his friends) were staring at me saying 'You little (expletive)' and I told Craig (Lefevre) that I wanted to leave. Jennifer Hopkins asked why we were leaving and I told her there was a problem."

Hansen said Gazlay came running out of the back yard with some other people and proceeded to prevent Lefevre from driving away. As time went on, the crowd grew to between 40 and 80 people who were surrounding the truck, throwing beer bottles and screaming threats.

Hansen, the left side of his face lower than the right as a result of the July 18, 2003, attack -- when a rock the size of a softball crashed through the front windshield of Lefevre's truck and crushed his face -- then testified about what happened after they had successfully escaped from the party.

"Right as we came around the bend, going fast, I saw several kids in the road, one in the median and several on the right hand side. It started sounding like gunshots hitting the truck, it sounded like war. Then one of the boulders hit me in the face."

Hansen passed out and upon regaining consciousness slowly realized something was severely wrong.

"I wake up, I was knocked out and everything is really fuzzy and my arm hurts," Hansen said. "The bone is snapped in half and hanging out of the skin and I can't see out of my left eye. The entire side of my face is open. I was in and out of consciousness and had no control over my body. My head kept banging into the dashboard."

Hansen went on to explain the extent of his injuries, many of which are permanent.

Matthew Costello, Dominick Harriman, Brandon Gallion, Anthony Gallion, Bradley Aguilar, Jeff Hart and Christopher Farley all originally faced the same charges as Morse. But all, save Anthony Gallion, whose case was dismissed, have entered plea agreements to lesser charges.