Officers cleared in woman’s death

Jen Lawson

Monday, Aug. 8, 2005 | 9:38 a.m.

Four Henderson Police officers were justified in shooting and killing a woman who raised a sawed-off shotgun toward them in June, a coroner's inquest jury decided Friday.

Sgt. Michael Mattoon and Officers Matthew Engel, Randal Galbraith and Christopher Delacanal testified that 47-year-old Donna Morrow gave them no other option but to shoot.

"She had every intention to use that gun on one or all of us," Galbraith said.

The officers had been called to the Midway Trailer Park near Sunset Road and Boulder Highway about 8:20 p.m. June 21 by residents who said someone fired a shotgun at a trailer. The occupant of the trailer, Mark Orr, said he and Morrow dated for several months but he recently ended the relationship after he said she stole his truck, wallet, cell phone and glasses and went on a three-week shoplifting spree through California.

Officers responding to the trailer park to investigate the shooting spotted Morrow walking down Sunset Road pulling a small green suitcase on wheels and thought she matched the description of the woman who fired the shot.

They suspected she was armed and they ordered her to stop and get down on the ground. The officers testified that Morrow stopped, opened her suitcase and pulled out the gun.

"I waited as long as I could," Delacanal said. "I'm yelling, 'drop it, drop it, drop it.' She gave no indication she was going to do that."

Each officer fired two to five shots each at her, they testified.

Dr. Gary Telgenhoff, medical examiner, said Morrow was shot five times. Her blood alcohol level at the time of death was 0.23, nearly three times the limit to prove drunken driving.

The jurors' unanimous decision came after about 20 minutes of deliberation.