Nursing Home Abuse News

Nursing Home Aide Convicted For Raping 90-Year-Old Resident

Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that William Morrison, a former aide at the Rome Memorial Hospital Residential Health Care Facility, was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a 90-year-old resident of the nursing home.

A jury convicted Mr. Morrison, 46, of Utica, of three felonies after a five-day trial conducted before Judge Michael L. Dwyer in Oneida County Court.  Morrison was found guilty of Rape in the First Degree, a class B felony, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a class D felony, and Endangering the Welfare of a Vulnerable Elderly Person, a class E felony.

Mr. Morrison had been employed by Rome Memorial Hospital, in Rome, New York, for several months before he transferred to hospital’s affiliated 80-bed nursing home.  This crime was committed approximately two weeks after that transfer.

When Mr. Morrison began to work at the nursing home, the home sought to perform a criminal background check, but that process had not been completed before Mr. Morrison raped the elderly resident.  Such a background check would have revealed that Mr. Morrison had previously been convicted of one felony drug offense in 1992 and several misdemeanors in the 1990s.  His last conviction was for a misdemeanor drug offense in 1999. Read more at oag.state.ny.us

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	Did You Know?
	Anyone can report nursing home abuse and neglect. Anyone can and should report abuse and neglect. It is a violation of state and federal law for any person, including facility staff, volunteers, visitors, family members or guardians, or another resident, to abuse or neglect a resident. If you suspect abuse or neglect, or if a resident tells you they are experiencing this problem, it is important to believe the resident and report the allegation immediately. This will help prevent further suffering by any resident. Many states have laws that require the reporting of abuse and neglect. Find out what your state requires. Put your report in writing, date it, and keep a copy. Convey as much information as you can about the situation. Provide as much background information as possible. A thorough report will help the investigator to address the situation quickly.