Men accused of murdering Tracy woman plead not guilty
Aug 31, 2009 | 2305 views | 16 
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Robert (left) and Jorge Morgan appeared briefly in a Stockton courtroom this morning / Press file photo
Robert Morgan and his husband Jorge Morgan stand accused of stabbing to death 58-year-old Cynthia Ramos in her trailer home on Aug. 6. They face enhancements for robbery, burglary, lying in wait and for two prior felony convictions.
Most of the brief hearing was spent talking about the suspects’ seating arrangement in court and whether they could share a cell in San Joaquin County Jail. The two men asked San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Bernard Garber if they could sit next to each other in court so they could talk about their defense.
“We’re not actually getting a fair defense, your honor,” Robert Morgan told the judge, who scheduled a hearing on Sept. 8 so they could talk about whether the suspects will get to sit by each other and their living arrangements in jail.
Since their arrest, the Morgans have sat two or three seats apart from each other in the jury box. Garber said usually co-defendants are allowed to talk to each other and sit side-by-side in court.
In jail, Jorge Morgan apparently spends his time in solitary confinement because of an order to keep the pair apart to prevent them from having sex while in custody, according to prosecutor Valli Israels. The stay-apart order stems from a California law that requires inmates to stay in separate cells if it’s likely that they’d have sex. The statute is supposed to prevent rape, but applies to consensual sex, too, Israels said.
The victim’s family showed up today to watch the proceeding. One of Ramos’ daughters, Kimberley Elisan-McKinney, held a framed photo of the victim. About a dozen other friends and relatives also showed up, wearing white shirts. Ramos had four sons, two daughters and 11 grandchildren.
If found guilty of murder, the Morgans could spend the rest of their lives behind bars under California’s three-strikes law, which qualifies people for a life sentence after three serious felony convictions. Robert Morgan, 39, served a prison sentence for stealing a car and other theft. Jorge Morgan, 24, was also convicted a theft. The pair met at Deuel Vocational Institution, a men’s prison in Tracy, and registered as domestic partners weeks after their release last fall.
• Contact Tracy Press reporter Jennifer Wadsworth at 830-4225 or jwadsworth@tracypress.com.
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about comfort. There are lots of Husband and Wives in the prison system,I don't see any of them sharing cells?? Sounds to me as if they planned this easy way just to be together the rest of their LIFE! Free ROOM, FOOD, and thinking they'll be together, NOT!! Stop waisting time and money on these creeps. Let the next Hearing have some meaningful results for this family, they have been through enough!!
« JerryLeeLewis wrote on Monday, Aug 31 at 03:46 PM »
I bet the current administration will be providing them with FREE HEALTHCARE at the TAXPAYER's expense? Right Jerry?
They have ALWAYS had FREE health care in CA county jails and prison's Jerry. Whats new or changed??
Where is the justice in that?
If freed, I hope the Defendants will adopt the Lovebirds?
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Thanks so much for that news. I've been wondering since this saga began who plays the woman. I had Jorge tagged from the git-go but it turns out I was wrong. What a couple of sweethearts.