Jeffery Bernard Morris, the man convicted for the horrific murder of poker star and commentator Susie Zhao, has had his last appeal denied by the Michigan Supreme Court.
The decision means Morris has reached the end of the road for legal recourse, following his October 2022 conviction for first-degree premeditated murder.
He was sentenced to life without parole after confessing to robbing and murdering Zhao over a financial dispute.
Following the conviction, Morris filed a post-conviction motion, citing a speedy trial matter, with a further case raised with the Michigan Court of Appeals.
The Oakland County, Michigan, resident put forward the case that “his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to identification testimony, opinion testimony about shoplifting tactics, and speedy-trial issues.”
It was also alleged that Morris’ “right to a speedy trial was violated”.
Ultimately, the Michigan Supreme Court refuted the final appeal effort. They declined to raise the case “because we are not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this Court.”
Susie Zhao was a poker trailblazer, despite her personal troubles
33-year-old Susie Zhao had returned to Michigan to reside with her family during the COVID-19 pandemic, following years based in Los Angeles as a regular on the poker circuit.
She was considered a trailblazer given her prominence and success in a male-dominated field, with her achievements including a 2017 Aussie Millions final table and appearances in the final stages of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event.
Zhao was also a regular on cash live streams such as “Live at the Bike”, while she registered $224, 671 in Hendon Mob earnings.
The trial of Jeffery Bernard Morris in 2022 revealed Zhao’s significant mental health struggles, but a diagnosis of schizophrenia did not deter her from making her mark on the poker scene.
Image credit: Live at the Bike!/YouTube
