The Michigan Supreme Court has denied the last appeal of Jeffery Bernard Morris, the man convicted of killing poker player and commentator Susie Zhao. The ruling, issued on August 29, leaves Morris with no further avenues for appeal and keeps his life sentence without the possibility of parole in place.
No Legal Relief for Convicted Killer
Morris was convicted in October 2022 of first-degree premeditated murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. The case stemmed from the July 2020 killing of 33-year-old Zhao, who had returned to Michigan to live with her family during the pandemic after years as a regular in the Los Angeles poker scene.
After the conviction, Morris filed a post-conviction motion citing a speedy-trial issue, followed by an appeal to the Michigan Court of Appeals. He argued that his right to a speedy trial had been violated and that his defense counsel had been ineffective for not objecting to identification testimony, opinion testimony about shoplifting tactics, and trial delays.
In March, the appellate court rejected his claims, stating: “Morris has failed to establish that any errors of consequence occurred. Therefore, reversal of his conviction due to cumulative error is not warranted.”
Morris then petitioned the Michigan Supreme Court for review, but the justices declined to hear the case, explaining they were “not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this Court.”
Details From the Trial
The 2022 trial presented disturbing details of Zhao’s murder and sexual assault. Judge Martha Anderson, who presided over the case, described the proceedings as “agonizing” before imposing the life sentence.
Morris continued to argue that he deserved a new trial because of the cumulative effect of alleged trial errors. Both appellate courts disagreed, leaving his original conviction intact.
Remembering Susie Zhao
Zhao was a regular on livestreamed cash-game broadcasts such as Live at the Bike. According to The Hendon Mob database, she recorded $224,671 in live tournament earnings, including several deep runs in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event.
Despite her struggles with mental illness, including a schizophrenia diagnosis disclosed during the trial, Zhao remained a visible figure in the poker scene whose early passing left a mark on the game.
