Man accused in Amherst homicide granted bail

AMHERST — The man charged in a fatal Amherst shooting on Nov. 8 has been granted bail.

Joseph Thomas Hartson, 33, appeared before Justice Jeffrey Hunt in Supreme Court in Amherst on Friday at which time the Crown and defence agreed to release him under a number of conditions.

Hartson will return to provincial court in Amherst on Dec. 6 at 9:30 a.m. for his arraignment.

Hartson is charged with murder in the shooting on Bayview Avenue that took the life of 23-year-old Jerry Morrissey.

Officers with the Amherst Police Department arrested Hartson without incident soon after arriving on the scene at 2 p.m. on the day of the shooting. When they arrived, they found Morrissey, who was not a resident of the home, suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics transported him to the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Under the terms of his release, Hartson must reside in Fall River and abide by a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew. He is not permitted to be in Cumberland County unless he’s attending court or notifies the Amherst Police Department in advance.

He is also prohibited from contacting, or being in proximity with, a list of people included in the release document, and must either turn over his passport or not apply for one.

Lawyers for the Crown and Hartson’s defence spent a considerable amount of time deliberating before agreeing on the terms of his release. Before the court, Crown attorney Mary Ellen Nurse said the Crown is comfortable with the conditions.

Evidence presented during the bail hearing is protected by a publication ban.