Clowney’s father abruptly leaves Rock Hill courtroom after bond denied on attempted murder, weapons charges

The judge was still addressing David “Chilli Bean” Morgan on Wednesday when he abruptly walked out of the courtroom, visibly upset after bond was denied on attempted murder and weapons charges.

Morgan, 45, faces five charges: two counts of attempted murder and one count each of felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful carry of a firearm and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

He is the father of NFL player Jadeveon Clowney, a former South Carolina Gamecock and South Pointe High School football star who now plays for the Houston Texans.

The charges stem from a Tuesday morning incident at the Crazy Horse Showclub on Cherry Road where, police say, Morgan fired “multiple” gunshots at the club’s manager and the manager’s girlfriend.

Morgan had been removed from the club for sitting on the stage, according to a Rock Hill police report. The manager told police he saw Morgan standing by a wall near the back of the property about 2:15 a.m. Tuesday and Morgan fired several shots at them. The manager told police he returned fire.

Police found Morgan at Piedmont Medical Center with a gunshot wound in the shoulder, the report states.

Rock Hill attorney Leland Greeley appeared in court with Morgan on Wednesday and brought up Morgan’s injury when he asked for bond. The bullet reportedly struck Morgan in the back and exited his shoulder.

“We are concerned about his follow-up care for this and the possibility of infection,” Greeley said. “He needs to be under a doctor’s care, and if this court denies bond, he is not going to be able to have that.”

Greeley was representing Morgan only at Wednesday’s bond hearing, during which Municipal Judge Jane Modla appointed Morgan a public defender. Greeley said Morgan had received hospital care three times in the last 30 hours, but Modla said the accusations against Morgan make him a threat to the community and that he can still receive medical care while in jail based on the care he’s already received.

Two guns were recovered from the scene. Because Morgan is a convicted felon, he is barred by both state and federal law from possessing a gun. Morgan faces up to 30 years in prison for each attempted murder charge and up to five years for each of the weapon charges.

Greeley admitted that his client had felony convictions on his record but noted that in the last 22 years, “he has only paid some traffic citations.”

“He is a much older man now,” Greeley said, adding that he doesn’t want people to conflate Morgan and his football star son. “This case is about Mr. Morgan. This case is not about Mr. Clowney.”

Morgan stepped from behind the podium and began walking toward the door to the jail after Modla denied bond. Greeley and an officer tried coaxing Morgan back into the courtroom but he continued out the door. He refused to come back into the courtroom and said he would sign his paperwork outside the courtroom.

In 1995, Morgan was sentenced to 15 years in prison after convictions for burglary and other crimes. His criminal record dates to 1987 and includes convictions for trespassing, damage to property, resisting arrest, grand larceny and other crimes, state records show.

Morgan will be moved to the Moss Justice Center in York and will have the chance to appeal his bond denial in front of a circuit court judge.

So far, Morgan’s son Jadeveon Clowney has made no public comment on his father’s arrest.

Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien would not comment on the arrest Wednesday, according to The Associated Press, but he did say the Texans were supportive of all their players.

“We want our players to have success,” O’Brien said after practice in Houston. “We want them to go into each and every day knowing they have our support. I believe our players know that.”

Clowney is on the inactive list for the Texans after undergoing microfracture knee surgery in December. Team officials have said they expect him back this season.

This story was originally published August 5, 2015 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Clowney’s father abruptly leaves Rock Hill courtroom after bond denied on attempted murder, weapons charges."