Pennsylvania lawyer charged in previously unannounced Wilmington homicide
A Pennsylvania attorney has been charged with the May death of a 53-year-old Newark man in Wilmington's Forty Acres neighborhood, city police reported Tuesday night.
Edward Morris' killing had not been reported by Wilmington police prior to Tuesday's press release announcing the indictment of 57-year-old Paul M. Schofield Jr.
"I can't comment," Schofield said when contacted Wednesday morning at his Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, law office phone number. When asked if he had a lawyer, Schofield said he did not have anyone who could comment, but would have them call Delaware Online/The News Journal when he did.
Schofield, who was charged with criminally negligent homicide and second-degree assault, was released from custody after posting $5,000 secured bail, police said.
Other than to say there was an "altercation," Wilmington police provided few details about how Schofield was responsible for Morris' death. Police Spokesperson David Karas, in response to a follow up question, confirmed on Wednesday morning that altercation took place inside the Stapler Athletic Association — a social club at the corner of North Scott Street and Shallcross Avenue.
"We issued information once it was determined this was a homicide, the indictment was returned and the suspect was charged," Karas said.
This is at least the second time this month Wilmington issues a vague press release about an arrest for a serious crime that city police had not previously reported.
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Last week, Wilmington police reported that Calvin Ushery had been charged for a robbery that occurred eight days prior. Police failed to say in their release that Ushery struck a 68-year-old downtown business owner with a pistol and hammer more than two-dozen times to the point of unconsciousness.
The business owner in now in rehabilitation hospital, where family said he is re-learning how to walk and talk.
What police released Tuesday evening was that city officers were dispatched to the 1900 block of N. Scott St. just before 10 p.m. on April 29 for a report of an injured person. Arriving officers found Morris there.
Morris was taken to an area hospital, where a Go Fund Me account in his name, says he died on May 3.
Schofield was indicted by a grand jury on Monday and arrested Tuesday, according to police.
According to a webpage for the Law Offices of Paul Schofield, Schofield is a Wilmington native and graduate of Salesianum High School, University of Delaware and Widener University School of Law, where he received his law degree in 1996.
"He was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 1998, the New Jersey Bar in 2001, and the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 2001," the webpage said. "He has been a member of the Forty Acres Civic Association in Willington, Delaware, since 2005 and is the current President of the Association."
While Schofield's webpage claims he is Forty Acres Civic Association's current president, that is not the case.
Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Lawyer charged in May death of man in Forty Acres after 'altercation'
