'It's All Dark, There's No Light In It At All:' Accused Rose State Campus Shooter's Attorneys Speak Out About Murder Case

The man accused of killing a student at Rose State campus appeared in court Wednesday for an arraignment. News 9 spoke with his attorneys.

Wednesday, December 20th 2023, 4:22 pm

By: News 9, Jennifer Pierce

Attorneys for the man accused of killing a Rose State student on campus in April spoke to News 9 about the murder case. Brandon Morrissette, 30, appeared in court on Wednesday for an arraignment.

The accused Rose State campus shooter’s attorneys described Morrissette’s case as complicated and said there were a lot of details the public does not know.

A shackled Morrissette maintained a not guilty plea in court and will remain in custody at the Oklahoma County Detention Center without bond. His attorneys stood by as Morrissette was formally arraigned on charges of murder and having a gun on a school campus. “It’s a very sad case, too,” said David Smith, attorney. “It’s all dark, there’s not light in it at all.”

Morrissette is accused of shooting and killing student and Marine RJ Long outside a Rose State campus building. “That’s part of the story and we have to be honest about it and deal with it the best we can,” said Smith. “We can’t run away from it.”

Midwest City police said Morrissette believed Long was having an affair with his wife. Investigators said his wife told them Long was only a classmate and friend. Morrissette's attorneys eluded there may be more to the deadly campus confrontation but did not give details during an interview. “There are just a lot of issues to deal with,” said Smith. “A lot that hasn’t even come out yet. Things that relate to our client and who he is and what exactly happened there at the scene.”

The accused shooter's attorneys said they were in negotiations with the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office but believed the case would go to trial. “Right now, that’s what we’re shooting for,” said Smith. “I don’t think we will be able to resolve it any other way.”

The judge set Morrissette’s pre-trial hearing for January 31st. However, his attorneys said the hearing will most likely be continued.

Jennifer Pierce

Jennifer Pierce is the Crimetracker reporter for News 9. She returned to news after a brief break to stay home with her kids and worked as a public relations account manager.