Bell, Turner plead not guilty in fatal beating

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Appearing in court separately, two men waived arraignment and pleaded not guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder charges in connection with the fatal beating of an Anna, Illinois, man.

Jessie Bell, 34, of Anna and Travis D. Turner, 25, of Dongola, Illinois, had been scheduled for preliminary hearings Tuesday in Union County, Illinois, Circuit Court.

Those hearings became unnecessary after a grand jury convened Monday and returned indictments on the pair, who are accused in the beating death of James H. "Jimmy" Morrison, 46.

Authorities found Morrison's body about 3 a.m. April 12 outside a home in Anna, Union County State's Attorney Tyler Edmonds reported at the time.

According to charging documents filed in the case, Bell repeatedly struck Morrison in the head with his fists, and Turner hit him in the head with a piece of lumber.

Public defender Patrick Duffy, who is representing Bell, said Tuesday in court he was waiting to see forensic autopsy results, which are pending.

Bell and Turner both have several unrelated cases pending against them.

In addition to the murder charge, Bell is awaiting trial on felony charges of domestic battery and resisting arrest in connection with a Feb. 1 incident and a misdemeanor bail bond violation charge from April 1.

Public defender Jason Kleindorfer is representing Turner in the murder case and on a misdemeanor battery charge from May 2013 and a pair of traffic charges that were filed in February.

In Illinois, first-degree murder ordinarily is punishable by 20 to 60 years in prison, but depending on the circumstances, the penalty can go up to natural life in prison.

Illinois law requires defendants convicted of murder to serve 100 percent of their sentences.

Bond for Bell and Turner is set at $1 million each.

Their cases are set for trial July 28, with pretrial conferences scheduled for May 20.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Anna, Ill.