‘They’re just desperately needing some closure,’ Barry Morphew’s murder trial gets delayed

ALAMOSA, Colo. (KRDO) - The trial for Barry Morphew in Alamosa has been delayed at the request of his defense team. Twelfth Judicial District Judge Amanda Hopkins granted the motion to continue the trial, citing the defense's need for more time to review a large volume of evidence.

This marks another extension, as an October trial date had already been set after a previous delay.

Tom Grant, an attorney representing Suzanne Morphew's siblings, addressed the court to express the family's frustration with the delay. Grant emphasized the profound impact on the family, stating, “They live every day. With the grief and the pain of missing their sister. And they're basically tormented. Thinking about what has happened to her. And they're just desperately needing some closure to this case.” Grant added that achieving closure will become more difficult with each postponement.

Jane Fisher-Byrialsen, a defense attorney for Morphew, indicated that while progress is being made, the defense team will not be prepared for trial by October, despite that being an already extended date.

Judge Hopkins reminded the defense of their earlier commitment to be ready by fall. Hopkins conveyed her expectation for accurate estimates from legal teams, stating, “When you say things like, we think we'll be ready. Next time, I'm going to take that to heart that you are giving me your best estimate of that.”

The judge granted the continuance with the victim's family in mind. Hopkins said, “All of us want to do this in a way that this family only has to go through this one time. And so to that end, I am going to grant the motion to continue the trial.”

Judge Hopkins has granted the motion to continue the trial, but a definitive new trial date has not been decided. Both parties have been given until July 6 to agree on when the trial can proceed. One potential date offered for the trial to begin is January of next year.

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