Dad confirms identity of body found in yard

The father of William Christopher Morriss, 32, confirmed on Saturday that his son was the man found dead at a west Lawrence duplex Thursday.

The father, Allen Morriss, said police had informed him that the body was that of his son but that the cause of death was still under investigation.

A representative of the Shawnee County coroner’s office declined to comment on the status of Morriss’ autopsy on Saturday, and referred calls on the investigation to the Lawrence Police Department. No representative of the Lawrence Police investigation division was available for comment.

Morriss, a Lawrence resident, was found in the backyard patio area of a duplex on Randall Road when a landlord who had come by to mow the lawn opened the gate. Don Theno, the landlord, said neither he nor the family that rents the duplex knew the deceased.

Morriss attended Eudora and Lawrence high schools. He worked as an area carpenter.

Driving

Legal seminar to address teen drivers

“My child just got a driver’s license : Now what? Legal concerns for new drivers and their parents,” will be the first topic in the Douglas County Law Library’s Public Education Program.

Local attorney Shon Qualseth, Thompson & Associates, will present information on aspects of the law that young drivers and their parents should be aware of. The half-hour presentation will be in the Gallery Room of the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vt., at 7 p.m., Tuesday, followed by a question and answer session.

The law library’s public education program series is designed to provide opportunities for attorneys and the general public to better understand and use legal resources and conduct research. The library will offer various presentations, classes and workshops as part of its ongoing efforts to provide basic information about the law and the legal system to the Lawrence community.

No reservations are required for the free program, and everyone is invited to attend.