Suspected killers get another August court date
by Jennifer Wadsworth
Aug 20, 2009 | 1389 views | 3 3 comments | 24 24 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Robert Plunkett-Morgan, left, and Jorge Morgan at their first arraignment. Press file photo
Robert Plunkett-Morgan, left, and Jorge Morgan at their first arraignment. Press file photo
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Suspected killers of a 58-year-old Tracy woman were ordered back in court at the end of the month for further arraignment and to give their attorneys more time to review evidence.

Robert Morgan, 39, and his domestic partner Jorge Morgan, 24, entered no pleas at a brief hearing today.

Robert Morgan’s attorney Charles Slote and Jorge Morgan’s public defender Eric Taylor also asked for the judge to consider revoking an order to keep the co-defendants away from each other while they’re in custody. The two are held without bail in separate quarters at the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp.

Slote said he’s trying to end their forced separation because it might help at some point for the suspects to meet in the same room with their attorneys to discuss the case. The order, put in place by law enforcement, prevents that.

The Morgans are accused of stabbing to death Cynthia Ramos — a mother of six and grandmother of 11 — in her own trailer at Green Oaks Mobile Home Park in Tracy on Aug. 6. The two are charged with robbery, burglary and murder with special circumstances of murder by lying in wait, personal use of a non-firearm and charges for parole violations.

About 10 members of Ramos’ family and a couple friends arrived at today’s proceeding. They all wore white T-shirts in a show of solidarity.

“This is really hard for us,” said Kimberley Elisan-McKinney, the younger of Ramos’ two daughters, as she filed into the courtroom. “It’s hard to be here.”

Today’s hearing was calmer than the first emotionally charged proceeding earlier this month, when a few relatives of Ramos shouted obscenities at the Morgans and the suspects smiled and shook their heads at the victim’s family. Today, the suspects sat quietly and barely glanced at the Ramos clan. It was their first appearance after being assigned public defenders. The next time they’re scheduled to be in court is at 9 a.m. on Aug. 31.

The Morgans served time for theft at Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy. The couple filed for domestic partnership shortly after their release from the men’s prison last fall. Both have prior serious felony convictions.

Because there’s still an active investigation into the alleged murder, attorneys, police and the victim’s family said they can’t disclose much about the case.

•Contact Tracy Press reporter Jennifer Wadsworth at 830-4225 or jwadsworth@tracypress.com.

At a glance

A Web site has been set up in memory of victim Cynthia “Cindy” Ramos at www.inmemoryofcindyramos. It includes dozens of photos, letters sharing memories about Ramos, poems, the eulogy read at her memorial service this week and information about how to donate to the family.

comments (3)
« justavoice wrote on Sunday, Aug 23 at 10:44 AM »
Correct you are Tinfoil.I don't think they should be able to plan their defense together. Thats what attorneys are for.

Bahahaha..RedwoodB.
« RedwoodB wrote on Friday, Aug 21 at 09:34 PM »
This is this one......if they had MARRIED before the election instead of registering as DP, then one CANNOT incriminate the other.......
« Tinfoil wrote on Friday, Aug 21 at 08:16 AM »
This is a no-brainer. The reason the two are being kept apart is so they can't coordinate their stories. Kept seperate and questioned seperatly,neither of the two know what story the other guy's telling detectives.

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Robert Morgan’s attorney Charles Slote and Jorge Morgan’s public defender Eric Taylor also asked for the judge to consider revoking an order to keep the co-defendants away from each other while they’re in custody. The two are held without bail in separate quarters at the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp.


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