Morgan started his tenure in 2009 and almost immediately got a “big” case. The night that Byrd & Melanie Billings were killed catapulted Sheriff Morgan to the national media stage. This was “the feather” in his cap.
According to Edward Bronson, a media expert retained by the defense. Morgan was featured in 239 articles in the PNJ in reference to the Billings case and Patrick Gonzalez. That does not count the numerous national TV appearances, including the Oprah Winfrey Show. Dr. Bronson reviewed 250 newspaper articles from 2007-2010 mentioning Patrick (Poff)
Gonzalez. 11 of those were from 2007-2008, prior to the murders. Here is an excerpt from his report:
The quotes by the sheriff in this case:
“Among his notable achievements during his first term in office,were …His commitment to this level of cooperation and transparency extended to his handling of the investigation of the Billings homicide case in 2009, where, through mutual cooperation with the national media and his exemplary investigative staff, in approximately 96 hours, 7 suspects were in custody and in 118 hours an 8th suspect was arrested.”— www.voteDavidMorgan2012.com
The next serious of news exposure did not portray the Sheriff in such a positive light.
“David Morgan Is Wrong, Terribly Wrong
Two Florida cops shot an innocent, unarmed man in his own driveway. And then their sheriff started talking.”— Slate, August 15, 2013
“Oh, Baltimore, man it’s hard just to live..”-The Field Negro, April 27, 2015
An excerpt:
I submit to you, though, that it is people like Sheriff David Morgan of Florida who is to blame for our current racial state of affairs in cities like Baltimore, Maryland.
“A video from 2013 has come to light showing the sheriff of Escambiaso County, Florida, David Morgan, sputtering on nonsensically about black culture.
Morgan’s bizarre speech begins with a criticism of the term African-American with Morgan emphatically stating:
“the blacks who currently reside in the United States of America are not from Africa.”
“I would remind black Americans that you are little less than 13% of the entire population of the United States.” “Had every one of those people been voter eligible only 13% could have voted for President Obama.” “If we’re such a racist nation, why do we have an African American president?” [Source]
Lord have mercy! This is a sheriff, people.
The headlines across the internet this created were phenomenal.
Sheriff Morgan Revives “Racist Speculation” “Urban Legend,” and “Junk Science,” to Smear All Young Black Males in Escambia County as ‘Super Predators’ –CJ’s Street Report, April 12, 2015
Let’s not forget the “Blue Moon/Witchcraft Case”. Morgan made the prophetic statement that “this is witchcraft” about a triple murder purely on the basis of a Wicca book at the suspect’s home. Colossal rush to judgment. I personally contacted nationally recognized paranormal expert, Michelle Belanger, to comment on this statement of the Honorable Sheriff. She made a video to respond.
“The biggest problem in Pensacola right now is you got a Sheriff who is jumping to all kinds of conclusions. He’s creating his own kind of red herrings. …My other problem with Sheriff Morgan is, your average person doesn’t know what a Wiccan is, doesn’t know what a Pagan is. They hear these words from an authority figure, like Sheriff Morgan. What he is doing, either through his own ignorance or his own willful misdirection of the actual facts of the case. He’s betraying the trust that people have put into him……..He is misleading people who he’s their only source for whether or not that’s true. And because he’s seen as an authority figure, they are not going to go out and Google to find out that he’s actually talking out of his posterior in a grievous way that could honestly incite hate crimes.”
Michelle Belanger
I really could go on for days about the attempts of ye olde sheriff to try to bombast everything he can, but I do have other posts on his legacy.
** From the last post, here are the links to Morgan’s financials.
Conjuring Justice 