In what should have been a place of healing, a hospital room in Oklahoma City became the scene of a tragic and unforeseen death for 48-year-old Reginald Henry Morrisey. A male patient at Integris Baptist Medical Center, Morrisey was recovering from a stroke in April 2017 when a desperate fugitive burst into his room, forever altering the course of his recovery and his life.
The chain of events began on April 9, 2017, when Jimmy McCoy III, then 24 years old, was taken to the same hospital
after suffering a seizure while being arrested for burglary. In a moment of opportunity, while an officer briefly removed his handcuffs to allow him to use the restroom, McCoy fled. He ran into Reginald Morrisey's room, where the unsuspecting patient lay in his bed. In a frantic attempt to escape, McCoy jumped on top of Morrisey, using his body as a platform to try and climb into the ceiling.
The commotion brought a swift response from hospital staff and law enforcement. Officers deployed pepper spray to subdue McCoy and were able to take him back into custody. However, the damage had been done. Reginald Morrisey's already fragile health was severely compromised by the assault. Five days after the incident, on April 14, 2017, he tragically passed away. The state medical examiner later ruled his death a homicide, determining that his care was 'compromised by a fleeing suspect.'
In the aftermath of this senseless act, the wheels of justice began to turn. Jimmy McCoy III was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Morrisey's death. In June 2018, McCoy, then 26, pleaded guilty to the charge. He was subsequently sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in the death of Reginald Morrisey, bringing a close to a case that highlighted the vulnerability of patients and the unpredictable nature of crime.
