Khaseen Morris' friend testifies she begged fatally stabbed teen to stay awake
Tyler Flach, wearing a white shirt and a tie, leaves Nassau County Court in Mineola last week. Credit: John Roca
One of Khaseen Morris’ friends testified Monday that she begged the 16-year-old Oceanside High School senior to stay awake as he was bleeding after an attack by a group that included the defendant now on trial for allegedly murdering him in the 2019 after-school fight.
“I grabbed him by his face and I’m like ‘Kha, you got to stay with us,’” witness Jessica Fee told jurors.
The 17-year-old recalled how friends tried to find the source of Morris’ injury as blood leaked from his body in an Oceanside strip mall parking lot at the end of what authorities said was a prearranged fight over a girl.
“There was just so much blood and we didn’t know where it was coming from,” Fee also testified at the Nassau County Court trial of Tyler Flach.
“I was just holding him and trying to keep his eyes open … He couldn’t speak,” Fee added of Morris. “It just sounded like he was breathing such thick air.”
Members of Morris’ family cried and clung to each other during parts of the trial Monday, including when jurors watched video footage of the fight on Sept. 16, 2019.
Law enforcement officials compiled the footage, which is about 10 minutes long, by combining recordings from the security systems of several nearby businesses and a cellphone video.
Flach, 21, of Lido Beach, is standing trial on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree gang assault and misdemeanor weapon and assault charges.
His attorney, Edward Sapone, told jurors in his opening statement last week that his client didn’t intend to kill Morris in the brawl in an Oceanside strip mall parking lot near a pizza place that is a popular student hangout.
Flach was “reckless” when he held a knife in his hand while throwing punches during the fight, before one punch went “awry” and pierced Morris’ heart, Sapone also said previously.
He contends Flach stabbed Morris once and has suggested Morris died hours later from injuries to his heart caused by medical intervention.
The defense appears focused on making a case for second-degree manslaughter, which has a top penalty of 5 to 15 years in prison as opposed to a maximum of 25 years to life behind bars for a second-degree murder conviction.
Prosecutor Daryl Levy said in his opening statement that Flach stabbed Morris three times — a departure from a previous account from authorities that Morris suffered a single stab wound to his chest.
Flach thrust the knife into Morris after charging shirtless across the parking lot with a group of Long Beach teenagers and attacking Morris and his outnumbered friends, Levy also told jurors.
Two of Morris’ friends who were part of the brawl also testified Monday.
Trentin Chalmers, 20, recalled how he “saw Khaseen with red on his shirt” after getting up from the ground himself after two strangers punched and kicked him in the head and chest.
He also recalled how Morris’ friends crowded around him, trying to apply pressure to stop his bleeding and to call 911, after realizing Morris had been stabbed.
During a cross-examination, Chalmers agreed he had seen Flach also had a knife in his hand while punching at another of Morris’ friends and that Flach didn’t stab that person.
Three of the seven Long Beach teenagers who were indicted in the case previously pleaded guilty to assault charges and are serving one-year jail sentences, while another defendant is awaiting trial.
Three other Long Beach youths who were indicted made cooperation deals with the prosecution after pleading guilty during sealed proceedings and could be called to testify against Flach, sources previously told Newsday.
Morris’ friend Michael Quezada, 20, testified Monday that he went with Morris to the strip mall because Morris told him the night before “he was supposed to be fighting somebody over a girl.”
Quezada, whose testimony will continue Tuesday, said he saw a shirtless white male swinging a knife while charging full speed at the car where he, Morris and other friends were gathered.
Quezada said he then saw Morris “was getting jumped” so he ran toward him and began throwing punches before someone grabbed him and he got punched, kicked and stomped.
The witness said he saw Morris lying down after someone released him from a headlock and he went over to Morris to try “to put pressure on him to stop the bleeding.”
Earlier Monday, Fee also testified that Flach’s group had been “riled up” upon running into the area.
The 17-year-old said Flach, whom she knew from social media, “was the most wild” and she saw him jab at Morris while holding “a black handle” in his hand.
“It could have been once or twice. I can’t fully remember,” Fee told Levy of the jabs.
She agreed on cross-examination she didn’t know if Flach had the object in his hand at the fight's start.
The trial will continue Tuesday.
One of Khaseen Morris’ friends testified Monday that she begged the 16-year-old Oceanside High School senior to stay awake as he was bleeding after an attack by a group that included the defendant now on trial for allegedly murdering him in the 2019 after-school fight.
“I grabbed him by his face and I’m like ‘Kha, you got to stay with us,’” witness Jessica Fee told jurors.
The 17-year-old recalled how friends tried to find the source of Morris’ injury as blood leaked from his body in an Oceanside strip mall parking lot at the end of what authorities said was a prearranged fight over a girl.
“There was just so much blood and we didn’t know where it was coming from,” Fee also testified at the Nassau County Court trial of Tyler Flach.
“I was just holding him and trying to keep his eyes open … He couldn’t speak,” Fee added of Morris. “It just sounded like he was breathing such thick air.”
Members of Morris’ family cried and clung to each other during parts of the trial Monday, including when jurors watched video footage of the fight on Sept. 16, 2019.
Khaseen Morris, 16, who was fatally stabbed in the parking lot of a strip mall in Oceanside on Sept. 16, 2019. Credit: Keyanna Morris
Law enforcement officials compiled the footage, which is about 10 minutes long, by combining recordings from the security systems of several nearby businesses and a cellphone video.
Flach, 21, of Lido Beach, is standing trial on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree gang assault and misdemeanor weapon and assault charges.
His attorney, Edward Sapone, told jurors in his opening statement last week that his client didn’t intend to kill Morris in the brawl in an Oceanside strip mall parking lot near a pizza place that is a popular student hangout.
Flach was “reckless” when he held a knife in his hand while throwing punches during the fight, before one punch went “awry” and pierced Morris’ heart, Sapone also said previously.
He contends Flach stabbed Morris once and has suggested Morris died hours later from injuries to his heart caused by medical intervention.
The defense appears focused on making a case for second-degree manslaughter, which has a top penalty of 5 to 15 years in prison as opposed to a maximum of 25 years to life behind bars for a second-degree murder conviction.
Prosecutor Daryl Levy said in his opening statement that Flach stabbed Morris three times — a departure from a previous account from authorities that Morris suffered a single stab wound to his chest.
Flach thrust the knife into Morris after charging shirtless across the parking lot with a group of Long Beach teenagers and attacking Morris and his outnumbered friends, Levy also told jurors.
Two of Morris’ friends who were part of the brawl also testified Monday.
Trentin Chalmers, 20, recalled how he “saw Khaseen with red on his shirt” after getting up from the ground himself after two strangers punched and kicked him in the head and chest.
He also recalled how Morris’ friends crowded around him, trying to apply pressure to stop his bleeding and to call 911, after realizing Morris had been stabbed.
During a cross-examination, Chalmers agreed he had seen Flach also had a knife in his hand while punching at another of Morris’ friends and that Flach didn’t stab that person.
Three of the seven Long Beach teenagers who were indicted in the case previously pleaded guilty to assault charges and are serving one-year jail sentences, while another defendant is awaiting trial.
Three other Long Beach youths who were indicted made cooperation deals with the prosecution after pleading guilty during sealed proceedings and could be called to testify against Flach, sources previously told Newsday.
Morris’ friend Michael Quezada, 20, testified Monday that he went with Morris to the strip mall because Morris told him the night before “he was supposed to be fighting somebody over a girl.”
Quezada, whose testimony will continue Tuesday, said he saw a shirtless white male swinging a knife while charging full speed at the car where he, Morris and other friends were gathered.
Quezada said he then saw Morris “was getting jumped” so he ran toward him and began throwing punches before someone grabbed him and he got punched, kicked and stomped.
The witness said he saw Morris lying down after someone released him from a headlock and he went over to Morris to try “to put pressure on him to stop the bleeding.”
Earlier Monday, Fee also testified that Flach’s group had been “riled up” upon running into the area.
The 17-year-old said Flach, whom she knew from social media, “was the most wild” and she saw him jab at Morris while holding “a black handle” in his hand.
“It could have been once or twice. I can’t fully remember,” Fee told Levy of the jabs.
She agreed on cross-examination she didn’t know if Flach had the object in his hand at the fight's start.
The trial will continue Tuesday.
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