Title: Matter of Morse

State: delaware

Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
IN THE MATTER OF THE 
PETITION OF MELVIN L. MORSE 
FOR A WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
 
§   
§  No. 202, 2014 
§ 
 
Submitted: May 9, 2014 
Decided: 
May 16, 2014 
 
Before BERGER, JACOBS, and RIDGELY, Justices. 
 
 
O R D E R 
 
This 16th day of May 2014, upon consideration of the petition of Melvin L. 
Morse for an extraordinary writ of mandamus, it appears to the Court that: 
(1) The petitioner, Melvin L. Morse, seeks to invoke the original 
jurisdiction of this Court, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 43, to issue a writ of 
mandamus directing the Superior Court to review its denial of his Motion to Stay 
Execution of the Sentence imposed on April 11, 2014.  The State of Delaware has 
filed an answer and motion to dismiss Morse’s petition.  After careful review, we 
find that Morse’s petition manifestly fails to invoke this Court’s original 
jurisdiction.  Accordingly, the petition must be dismissed. 
(2) In February 2014, a Superior Court jury found Morse guilty of one 
count each of reckless endangering in the first degree, reckless endangering in the 
second degree, and assault in the third degree, as well as three counts of 
endangering the welfare of a child.  On the day of sentencing, April 11, 2014, 
Morse filed a Motion for Release Pending Appeal and a Motion to Stay Execution 
 
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of the Sentence.  Morse sought to stay execution of his sentence until the Superior 
Court could hold a fact-finding hearing to examine whether the Department of 
Correction could handle Morse’s preferred course of treatment for his prostate 
cancer and thyroid condition.  The Superior Court denied both motions and 
imposed a total sentence of ten years at Level V incarceration, suspended after 
three years for one year at Level III probation.   
(3) On April 22, 2014, Morse appealed from his conviction and sentence, 
and filed a Motion for Certificate of Reasonable Doubt.1  He also filed this Petition 
for Writ of Mandamus, claiming the Superior Court had disregarded a tangible 
threat to his health and his life by denying his Motion to Stay Execution of the 
Sentence.  Morse asks this Court to issue a writ of mandamus directing the 
Superior Court to review its denial of his Motion to Stay Execution of the 
Sentence.   
(4) A writ of mandamus will issue only if the petitioner can show: (i) a 
clear right to the performance of a duty; (ii) that no other adequate remedy is 
available; and (iii) the Superior Court has arbitrarily failed or refused to perform its 
duty.2  This Court “will not issue a writ of mandamus to compel a trial court to 
                                                 
1 Morse v. State, No. 200, 2014 (Del.). 
2 In re Bordley, 545 A.2d 619, 620 (Del. 1988). 
 
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perform a particular judicial function, to decide a matter in a particular way, or to 
dictate the control of its docket.”3    
(5) There is no basis for the issuance of a writ of mandamus here.  Morse 
has not shown that the Superior Court arbitrarily failed or refused to perform a 
duty owed to him by denying his Motion to Stay Execution of the Sentence for an 
evidentiary hearing on whether the Department of Correction could provide his 
preferred course of medical treatment for his prostate cancer and thyroid condition.   
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the petition for the issuance of 
a writ of mandamus is DISMISSED.   
 
BY THE COURT: 
 
 
/s/ Jack B. Jacobs 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
       Justice 
 
                                                 
3 Id.