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Updated 05/15/2012 03:44 PM

Morgia enters guilty plea in court

By: Web Staff

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, N.Y. -- Facing a 72 count indictment including a murder charge, a Jefferson County man has reconsidered his upcoming trial and decided to plead guilty to lesser charges.

Tuesday morning, Francis "Terry" Morgia, 48, entered a guilty plea to 11 counts, including attempted murder, vehicular assault, robbery and unlawfully fleeing police.

It was back in October that Morgia stole a woman's purse at the Kohl's department store in Watertown and took off in his mother's car, leading police on a high speed chase, reaching speeds of more than 100 miles per hour that ended when Morgia's car hit another vehicle.

A woman in that car, Shirley Hammond, 75, was killed. Three others, including two off-duty police officers, were hurt.

Morgia now faces 18 years in prison at his June sentencing.