By John Rizzuti
2006 InsideTexasWrestling.com
All rights reserved

The 2005 Team Texas return trip from Fargo, North Dakota to Dallas is right at 1140 miles. According to sworn FBI affidavits, for one male member of the Texas USA Wrestling coaching staff the bus ride was playtime. For two adolescent 16-year old girls, it was frightening and terrifying – a horrendous finale to a week of unprecedented team success. It became the bus ride from hell. This lurid, 20-hour trip made Sherman’s march to the sea look like a cakewalk.

Working with public information, and by conducting scores of interviews, InsideTexasWrestling.com (ITW) has managed to piece together the real story of what happened during the return trip of the girl’s national championship team. ITW has also uncovered a new witness who has related testimony that could blow the case wide open. (See below)

On the return trip to Dallas last July, there were 23 female members of Team Texas, all of high-school age, and four male adults. There were no female chaperones, and no female coaches. Three of the male adults were coaches and the other adult was a team member’s parent, (and from Morriss’ Rock Wrestling Club), whose primary duty was photographer, traveling under the cover of “chaperone.”

According to a source, prior to the departure from Dallas the week before, Texas USA Wrestling turned down a request for two additional female college students (also wrestlers) to accompany the trip as chaperones. The request was denied even though the college students were willing to pay for their own expenses. According to a source very close to Texas USA Wrestling, female chaperones have been added for this year’s trip. All male coaches will ride separately from the girls on the bus.

With emotions running wild after the national dual team title win, and with eleven girls having earned “All-American” status, the return bus ride began.

Similar to a “puddle jumper” aircraft, the bus contained a row of two- person seats separated by a center aisle from a row of single-person seats. According to a Team Texas female wrestler, “the seating was cramped for two people”, so it is easy to surmise that two youths and one large adult man would have been very uncomfortable in one of these two-person seats. In the first row, the head coach was seated alongside a female wrestler. In the next row, Assistant Team Texas Coach Chris Scroggins sat alone.

Seated behind Scroggins were the two 16-year old female victims, with Coach Morriss sitting between them in a seat designed to hold two people. Morriss appeared to have strategically draped a sleeping bag over them to conceal his activities.

Prior to the Fargo trip, there was varying levels of parental concern surrounding Morriss. The Morriss criminal record, revealed last week by ITW after a five minute Internet search, was unknown to the girls and their parents. Some of his “creepy” behavior and “freaky” demeanor was well known by wrestlers, parents and even coaches. ITW has learned that on a similar trip back from Fargo the year before (July 2004), Morriss was observed “making out” with a Team Texas member who has since gone to college. Her name will not be used in this story.

Obviously, in the case above, the only two people who know for sure if there was an intimate relationship are Morriss and the girl, and neither is talking.

The girl was 18 at the time, and Morriss was 41. While not technically “illegal,” such activities occurring in the presence of other younger girls, 15-17 years old, and was totally inappropriate. This behavior should have been grounds for immediate dismissal from the Texas USA Wrestling coaching staff.

ITW has been told that at least one, and possibly more, Texas USA Wrestling executives knew about the Morriss relationship with the 18-year old, but they took no action. Nor did Texas USA Wrestling warn or alert Team Texas parents prior to the trip in 2005 that one of the assistant coaches apparently has a thing for young girls.

Morriss was observed by parents acting in a strange way and showing poor behavior during last year’s Fargo competition. In one case, Morriss hugged a girl as she came off of the mat after a win, and then actually kissed her on the lips.

“There was way too much hugging and kissing,” said one concerned parent. ITW is attempting to secure a video of this incident.

ITW was informed that there was another instance during the Fargo Competition in which Morriss softly massaged a young girl’s back as she lay flat on the gym floor. Again, while not specifically illegal, red flags should have been popping up like pimples on a teenager.

Another parent told this writer that he asked his daughter to keep her dorm locked at all times when she was in her room in Fargo. She had a bad feeling about female wrestlers staying in the dormitory without female chaperones.

Last Friday, May 19, during a meeting with several parents of female Team Texas wrestlers, Texas USA Wrestling state chairman Allan Rodger for the first time publicly admitted that he was aware of some or all of Morriss’ criminal background.

This is a complete “reversal” of Rodger’s earlier claim that a background check was done on Morriss and he was “clean.” The revised statement made to disbelieving parents last Friday, according to multiple eyewitnesses, was that the DUI occurred many years ago, so it was irrelevant (there were actually two DUIs, occurring within six weeks of one another).

Further, the second-degree felony conviction for theft was dismissed out of hand by Rodger, who claimed that Morriss submitted court documents to Texas USA Wrestling implying that it was no big deal – it involved an old girlfriend. Yet, according to DPS replicate records examined by ITW, the case was a second-degree felony. Morriss plead guilty, and received eight years probation and sixty days in the slammer.

ITW is not aware of any Texas USA Wrestling discussions during that meeting addressing the criminal mischief case or driving with a suspended license – the other items on Morriss’ lengthy criminal record.

People have questioned why it took so long for this story to get out and for an investigation to commence. First, according to sources, Texas USA Wrestling had hoped that the story would “go away” or that charges would be dropped. As recently as three weeks ago, ITW was told that Texas USA Wrestling officials were telling the national governing body (NGB) of amateur wrestling, USA Wrestling, that they need not worry, as the case was probably “going away.” At the very least, Texas USA Wrestling should have informed the public, and especially the Team Texas parents, of the accusations. As early as April 1, Texas USA Wrestling knew the jig was up.

The Texas USA “Official Press Release” regarding this case makes for entertaining reading, and is a primer for how not to do a news release. Ironically, the first paragraph says that Texas USA Wrestling is first and foremost concerned with the safety and well being of all participants.

Information supplied to ITW suggests otherwise. Last year, several teenage girls were put in the back bed of a pickup truck (in violation of state law) to be transported from the hotel to the practice facility. Of course, such action is not only illegal, but also highly dangerous, having led to deaths on Texas highways.

The second paragraph in the release says that upon learning of the allegations against Coach Morris (sic – the name is misspelled throughout the release) he was relieved of his coaching duties. The date of this action was 8/20/2005. Yet throughout the wrestling season, Morriss, wearing his trademark wrestling club’s bright neon green shirt, would appear at UIL and USA Wrestling events – even events where he knew the alleged victims of his alleged assault would be competing. According to one eyewitness, he wore a smirk, and had a “smug look” on his face.

ITW was told by a source that the U.S. Attorney’s office in Kansas City, Missouri issued a letter to Morriss to “cease and desist” any contact at all with the alleged victims. At press time, ITW was unable to obtain a copy of this memorandum. One parent told me that he had hoped the victims would never have to face Morriss, but “they did, and it was tragic.”

Specific allegations against Morriss on the 2005 return trip, according to FBI documents examined by ITW, describe the assault as having begun shortly after a movie was started on the bus and the internal lights were turned off. With sleeping bags covering the victims’ and perpetrator’s bodies and lights off, and with high-back seats, the bus became a perfect environment for a predator.

“Both victims stated to law enforcement officials that after everyone had settled in . . . a movie had been turned on, and Morriss touched them and rubbed their bodies at different times throughout the night. The victim on the outside of the seat row stated, “Morriss grabbed her legs and back and told her to hold on to the seat . . . he began massaging her stomach and touched her underneath her (undergarment).” This happened for an extensive period of time, until the victim eventually moved to another seat, where she remained for the rest of the trip.

The second alleged assault then took place. The FBI document is too graphic to print, but includes complete detail of the activities, which went on for hours.

So why did it take so long for the case to become public?

When the girls got home they went to the police after informing their families. Since the alleged incidents happened on a bus engaged in interstate commerce, jurisdiction was difficult to ascertain. Also, after it was decided that the proper investigative body to handle this case was the FBI, caseloads had to be cleared with both the FBI and with the U.S. Attorney’s office.

While interviews with the U.S. Attorney’s office by ITW have consisted mainly of “no comment,” it is apparent to this writer that this case is being pursued with vigor and aggressiveness.

New witness comes forward

In 2004, activities related to the National Junior Championships in Fargo – including the training camp, the bus ride up and back, and the stay in Fargo, afforded Morriss ample opportunities for his seedy activities. In addition to the spit-swapping contest he had with one young girl on the 2004 return bus trip, he was also busy on other fronts.

One female member of Team Texas, in an exclusive interview with ITW, claims that Morriss “grabbed (her) ass” and “hit on” her several times. She politely asked him to stop. “I should have come forward then, but I was scared,” she added.

ITW has asked this witness to come forward and do an interview with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office. ITW is also going to forward to the U.S. Attorney’s office the threatening forum post made by state chairman Allan Rodger on the Texas USA Wrestling forum (On Friday, this post was edited to remove the threatening portion) which said in part, “Rizzuti you revolt me on so many levels . . . You know I know the truth and that must eat you alive. Can you imagine what I’m going to say about “you know who” when I’m no longer State Chairman.”

No, Allan I don’t.

Why don’t you go ahead and tell me right now. We’re among friends. It could make for an interesting “Part III.” And by the way, you might want to hire an attorney.