Nova Scotia

Crown drops murder charge against Amherst man

The Crown has dropped its murder charge against Joseph Thomas Hartson. Nearly a year ago, Harston was accused of killing 23-year-old Jerry Jordan Morrissey. The Crown concluded the evidence didn't meet the prosecutorial test. Harston is still facing five weapons charges.

Joseph Thomas Hartson still faces 5 weapons charges. He's due back in court Nov. 7

Jerry Morrissey (right) with his brother Jessie. Jerry was shot and killed in Amherst in November 2021. Jessie is a missing person who was last seen Feb. 13, 2022. (Jodi Morrissey)

The Crown has dropped a murder charge against an Amherst, N.S., man who was accused of killing 23-year-old Jerry Jordan Morrissey nearly a year ago.

A spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service told CBC News in an email the Crown concluded the evidence against Joseph Thomas Hartson didn't meet the prosecutorial test.

Hartson is still facing five weapons charges and is due to appear at Amherst provincial court on Nov. 7.

The charges against Harston include:

  • Careless use of a firearm.
  • Unauthorized possession of a firearm.
  • Possession of a firearm knowing possession is unauthorized.
  • Everyone who commits an offence who carries or possesses a weapon.
  • Contravenes a regulation to store, handle, transport, ship, display a fire arm.

Morrissey was shot and killed in Amherst Nov. 8, 2021.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anjuli Patil

Reporter

Anjuli Patil is a reporter and occasional video journalist with CBC Nova Scotia's digital team.