Due to a new Internal Affairs investigation of the Nizah Morris case, police paperwork relating to the incident is under scrutiny — including an unclear word in an officer’s patrol log that’s never been explained by authorities.
Morris was a Philadelphia trans woman of color who received a “courtesy ride” by police around 3:15 a.m. Dec. 22, 2002. Shortly after the ride, Morris was spotted by motorists at 16th and Walnut in Center City, unconscious and bleeding from the head.
Morris died two days later, at 8:30 p.m. Christmas Eve, and her homicide remains unsolved. She was 47 years old.
Three officers are involved in the Morris case
Three officers responded to Morris on the morning of her head injury: Thomas Berry, Elizabeth Didonato and Kenneth Novak. However, none of them mentioned in their paperwork a courtesy ride for Morris and her subsequent assault.
Morris was inebriated at the time and Didonato told investigators she wanted to take Morris home. Didonato said she transported Morris a few blocks — from Juniper and Chancellor streets (near 13th and Walnut) to 15th and Walnut. However, 15th and Walnut is in a business district and Morris actually lived three miles away in West Philadelphia.
Novak said he arrived at Juniper and Chancellor shortly after Didonato departed for the courtesy ride and didn’t participate in the ride. Berry said he saw Morris on the 1400 block of Walnut Street exiting Didonato’s vehicle. Berry also saw Morris a few minutes later at 16th and Walnut after her head injury.
Officers go to the hospital
About two hours after Morris’ head injury, all three officers went to Jefferson Hospital, where Morris was in the intensive care unit, comatose and close to death.
It’s unclear why all three officers went to Jefferson. But apparently they completed their Morris-related paperwork after arriving there. Didonato told investigators it’s possible she didn’t complete her paperwork until the end of her shift, which was 7:45 a.m.
After going to Jefferson, Berry turned in a police report indicating there was no courtesy ride for Morris and she was not assaulted. The patrol logs of Novak and Didonato similarly indicate there was no courtesy ride for Morris and no assault of her.
PGN files complaint with city agency
On Nov. 28, 2023, PGN filed a formal complaint with the Citizens Police Oversight Commission, seeking civilian oversight of the police department’s Internal Affairs investigation of the Morris incident.
PGN’s complaint cites an unclear word written by Novak in his patrol log when referring to Morris at Jefferson. Sgt. Eric Gripp, a police spokesperson, said a preliminary review indicates the word is “report.”
However, when Gripp was informed by PGN that Novak supposedly didn’t know about Berry’s report, Gripp replied that an Internal Affairs investigation remains “ongoing.”
Falsified paperwork alleged
It’s possible Novak wrote an abbreviation for the word “respondent” — not “report” — in his patrol log when referring to Morris at Jefferson. In other words, Novak wrote ambiguously about his knowledge of Berry’s report.
At first glance, it would appear Novak knew about Berry’s report indicating there was no courtesy ride. Novak’s patrol log and Didonato’s patrol log similarly indicate there was no courtesy ride.
But when homicide investigators eventually found out about the courtesy ride, Novak may have said he didn’t know about Berry’s report and that he actually wrote an abbreviation for “respondent” in his patrol log.
PGN’s complaint contends all three officers colluded to turn in falsified paperwork concealing the courtesy ride and subsequent assault of Morris.
Justice for Morris
Asa Khalif, a friend of Morris and longtime community advocate, said it’s time for transparency in the Morris case, to the fullest extent possible.
“We have a right to know everything the officers wrote about Nizah in their paperwork,” Khalif told PGN. “It’s outrageous that 21 long years after Nizah
was killed, the police still haven’t clarified what they wrote about her. I loved Nizah Morris. She was a dear friend and I won’t give up the fight until we get justice for her.”