Into the life and mind of Daniel Morley - a troubled intellect.
Is there a connection to the Boston Marathon Bombings? (Part 1)
by B Blake
August 10 2013
"Sometimes the only thing we have to drive us is the search for a cause..."
Daniel Morley's 'life motto'
Daniel Morley was arrested and admitted to medium secure Bridgewater State Hospital Boston in June 2013 when, purely by chance, police discovered in his possession a weapons cache including all the materials needed to build a pressure-cooker bomb. He also knew how to build one. Crucially, Morley was known to be in possession of these items before the Boston marathon bombings.
But what else is known about the case and more importantly, what else is known of Morley himself?
What follows is an exploration into the life and mind of Daniel Morley and poses a serious question: Could Morley have had any connection to the marathon explosions?
Daniel Morley's 'life motto'
Daniel Morley was arrested and admitted to medium secure Bridgewater State Hospital Boston in June 2013 when, purely by chance, police discovered in his possession a weapons cache including all the materials needed to build a pressure-cooker bomb. He also knew how to build one. Crucially, Morley was known to be in possession of these items before the Boston marathon bombings.
But what else is known about the case and more importantly, what else is known of Morley himself?
What follows is an exploration into the life and mind of Daniel Morley and poses a serious question: Could Morley have had any connection to the marathon explosions?
History
Daniel Morley was born in the town of Bury, UK, to parents Glenda and Peter in February 1986. Very little is known about his formative years although in his mid to late teens he began to show signs of mental illness.
Morley attended Everett High School, Mass where he showed a keen interest in poetry, science and drama. He worked several Summer jobs whilst he was still in school, all of which centered around MIT Boston and included positions in data entry and
the MIT central machine shop. He graduated high school in 2004 and went on to study psychology and anthropology at the University of Amherst, Mass. Very soon after starting university Morley began drinking and regularly using illicit drugs.
He had been an ardent student of martial arts for several years previously and began expressing deep regret that it was an avenue he no longer explored due to his new lifestyle and commitments. He was also inconsistent with following the medication regime prescribed to him for his illness, regularly stopping and starting at times as he disliked the 'numbing' effect it had on his emotions.
Daniel had a tenuous relationship with father during this period (who he viewed as domineering), characterised by a fear that he was failing at university and the inevitable 'disappointment' this would bring. He claimed to be frightened of his father and felt he could never live up to his expectations no matter how hard he tried. This was a feature of the relationship that was apparent throughout his life and appeared to continue right up until his arrest.
It was also around this time that Morley started formulating firm ideas and opinions on how he viewed the world. Most of these were anti-authoritarian and anti-establishment. He developed an interest in firearms and made trips to various shooting-ranges, believing the experience of firing weapons to be 'cathartic' and a release from the everyday stresses of his life. His darker side revealed itself through his writings at the time, in which he made repeated references to his mood describing himself as 'in darkness, frustrated, far away from the rest of the world, and angry'.
He fell into a party lifestyle and continued taking an ever increasing number of illegal substances, once noting that he had 'tried fifteen different types of drug and counting'. Unfortunately, coupled with a lax attitude to taking his prescribed medications, this lead to several psychotic episodes and breaks with reality. Morely also suffered from chronic bouts of insomnia when he would lie awake contemplating the ills of society as he perceived them:
Morley attended Everett High School, Mass where he showed a keen interest in poetry, science and drama. He worked several Summer jobs whilst he was still in school, all of which centered around MIT Boston and included positions in data entry and
the MIT central machine shop. He graduated high school in 2004 and went on to study psychology and anthropology at the University of Amherst, Mass. Very soon after starting university Morley began drinking and regularly using illicit drugs.
He had been an ardent student of martial arts for several years previously and began expressing deep regret that it was an avenue he no longer explored due to his new lifestyle and commitments. He was also inconsistent with following the medication regime prescribed to him for his illness, regularly stopping and starting at times as he disliked the 'numbing' effect it had on his emotions.
Daniel had a tenuous relationship with father during this period (who he viewed as domineering), characterised by a fear that he was failing at university and the inevitable 'disappointment' this would bring. He claimed to be frightened of his father and felt he could never live up to his expectations no matter how hard he tried. This was a feature of the relationship that was apparent throughout his life and appeared to continue right up until his arrest.
It was also around this time that Morley started formulating firm ideas and opinions on how he viewed the world. Most of these were anti-authoritarian and anti-establishment. He developed an interest in firearms and made trips to various shooting-ranges, believing the experience of firing weapons to be 'cathartic' and a release from the everyday stresses of his life. His darker side revealed itself through his writings at the time, in which he made repeated references to his mood describing himself as 'in darkness, frustrated, far away from the rest of the world, and angry'.
He fell into a party lifestyle and continued taking an ever increasing number of illegal substances, once noting that he had 'tried fifteen different types of drug and counting'. Unfortunately, coupled with a lax attitude to taking his prescribed medications, this lead to several psychotic episodes and breaks with reality. Morely also suffered from chronic bouts of insomnia when he would lie awake contemplating the ills of society as he perceived them:
"I really do admire the insight of characters from the movies like Saw and Seven. They don't accept this horrible world as it seems everyone else does. They get out and make a difference. A real one, not some sort of bullshit reality tv make over difference. They touch people at their cores"
"Geniuses. Seeing through the cracks of reality"
"Nick said I'll probably turn out like one of them in 15 years.
I can only wish to be so lucky"
Daniel Morley 2006
"Geniuses. Seeing through the cracks of reality"
"Nick said I'll probably turn out like one of them in 15 years.
I can only wish to be so lucky"
Daniel Morley 2006
Daniel Morley eventually left university and found continued employment in the animal experimentation department of MIT Mass, more commonly known as the Division of Comparative Medicine. It was a job for which he expressed a bitter dislike, although he still held a position there for 7 years. Throughout this period he continued to develop his fundamentalist views and engaged continuously with many separate protest and fringe movements.
Frustrated that indifference would not solve the problems of society as he recognized them, he became increasingly disposed to all forms of 'direct action'. He became a committed activist and attended regular rallies and demonstrations, the most well known of which was the Occupy Wall Street march of 2012, when he was arrested in New York following a violent struggle after provoking a confrontation with a police officer.
Frustrated that indifference would not solve the problems of society as he recognized them, he became increasingly disposed to all forms of 'direct action'. He became a committed activist and attended regular rallies and demonstrations, the most well known of which was the Occupy Wall Street march of 2012, when he was arrested in New York following a violent struggle after provoking a confrontation with a police officer.
Provokes a confrontation with an officer Resists arrest Wrestled to the floor and handcuffed
Daniel Morley during the 2012 confrontation
Considering the items found in Morley's possession, the timing of his arrest so soon after the bombings, and the official acknowledgement that he had ownership of all the items in the run up to the marathon itself, the lack of media interest in the case has been perplexing. This is all the more strange when one examines the circumstances of his eventual arrest and takes a closer look at the items he was actually caught with.
The Neighbourhood Siege and Evacuation
Daniel had moved in with his mother, Glenda Duckworth, and her live-in partner to the Topsfield address he was arrested at due to a previous accident where he had been hit by a car whilst out riding his bike. In the early hours of the morning on June 9th 2013, Morley's mother flagged down a passing police unit in the street explaining that she and her partner had been attacked and were forced to flee the home as her son was 'going mad and threatening to burn the house down'.
Several responding police units were met with a defiant Morley who refused to leave the property and had barricaded himself inside, shouting that he intended to hijack an aeroplane. A tense four-hour siege unfolded during which time authorities called for the backup of a State Police Special Tactical Operations team and blocked off a large perimeter area around the house, forcing all services at a local church to be cancelled.
Officers eventually gained access to the home and Morley was promptly arrested. Minutes later an order to evacuate the building was given, following the discovery in Morley's cupboard of a pressure cooker next to a large bag of fertilizer. The officer who ordered the emergency evacuation did so as he 'recognized the items as items used in bomb making'.
A state police bomb squad was then called in and the neighborhood was evacuated. The scene was not cleared until 8.45 am,
according to a local state police press release.
Several responding police units were met with a defiant Morley who refused to leave the property and had barricaded himself inside, shouting that he intended to hijack an aeroplane. A tense four-hour siege unfolded during which time authorities called for the backup of a State Police Special Tactical Operations team and blocked off a large perimeter area around the house, forcing all services at a local church to be cancelled.
Officers eventually gained access to the home and Morley was promptly arrested. Minutes later an order to evacuate the building was given, following the discovery in Morley's cupboard of a pressure cooker next to a large bag of fertilizer. The officer who ordered the emergency evacuation did so as he 'recognized the items as items used in bomb making'.
A state police bomb squad was then called in and the neighborhood was evacuated. The scene was not cleared until 8.45 am,
according to a local state police press release.
What did the police actually find inside Morley's home?
At the time of his arrest, a few reports alluded to the items discovered in Morley's home although many disturbing (and possibly significant) details were omitted.
Some of the stranger items recovered from his bedroom included a decapitated bird found in a shoe box, a drawing of the
Boston skyline that incorporated an aeroplane and an impression of a man holding a red heart pointing skyward in his hand, alongside a burnt green stuffed animal toy that had been repeatedly and violently stabbed.
A large quantity of anti-American, anti-government and anti-Semitic literature was discovered in Morley's bedroom.
Other incriminating items included a machete, decorative swords, several knives and a Massachusetts State Police t-shirt. He also had a hand-gun and a large fully loaded Russian bolt action rifle, complete with several hundred rounds of high-caliber ammunition that appeared to stem from an Israeli source.
Buckets of aluminium foil, tubs of chemicals, plastic zip ties, bags of rice flour, hobby fuse and wires, batteries, and dismantled cellphones were also discovered - all materials frequently used in the preparation of homemade explosives and bombs.
Some of the stranger items recovered from his bedroom included a decapitated bird found in a shoe box, a drawing of the
Boston skyline that incorporated an aeroplane and an impression of a man holding a red heart pointing skyward in his hand, alongside a burnt green stuffed animal toy that had been repeatedly and violently stabbed.
A large quantity of anti-American, anti-government and anti-Semitic literature was discovered in Morley's bedroom.
Other incriminating items included a machete, decorative swords, several knives and a Massachusetts State Police t-shirt. He also had a hand-gun and a large fully loaded Russian bolt action rifle, complete with several hundred rounds of high-caliber ammunition that appeared to stem from an Israeli source.
Buckets of aluminium foil, tubs of chemicals, plastic zip ties, bags of rice flour, hobby fuse and wires, batteries, and dismantled cellphones were also discovered - all materials frequently used in the preparation of homemade explosives and bombs.
The vast majority of the bomb-making materials found in Morley's possession were virtually identical to those allegedly used in the construction of the Boston Marathon bombs and were also sufficient in quantity to make several fully operational devices. Two pressure cookers were found, one in a cupboard alongside a bag of fertilizer, the other concealed inside a black sports type holdall.
Crucially, black powder, igniters and pieces of metal shrapnel that included ball bearings and nails were also discovered.
Pressure cookers fuelled with black powder and filled with ball bearings and nails were the precise type of devices that exploded at the Boston marathon. They were also remotely detonated with cell phones.
Here was a man living in Boston at the time of the explosions, who possessed the exact materials of the type used to construct the bombs at the marathon and was actively involved in the construction of such devices in the weeks before the marathon itself.
Here was a man living in Boston at the time of the explosions, who possessed the exact materials of the type used to construct the bombs at the marathon and was actively involved in the construction of such devices in the weeks before the marathon itself.
Closed black holdall found at Morley's address Opened to reveal the pressure cooker inside
Unanswered Questions
Court documents reveal that Daniel Morley was only charged with 2 counts of assault and battery, 1 count of making a bomb threat/threat to hijack and 'a threat to commit a crime'. Released on $20,000 bail, he was admitted to Bridgewater State Hospital, after which his lawyer made the following statement:
Robert LeBlanc, representing Morley:
Robert LeBlanc, representing Morley:
“My view of this is that it was an unfortunate and harmless situation, which I expect will be rationally resolved once we have a report from Bridgewater"
“There’s no indication that he intended or had any capacity for harm.”
“There’s no indication that he intended or had any capacity for harm.”
While one would expect a defense attorney to support their client, this statement seems ludicrous considering the alarming nature of items discovered at Morley's address, the circumstances of his eventual arrest and the fact that he was a known activist who encouraged and took part in forms of direct action. He also had a history of mental health problems which were cited as ongoing. Put simply Daniel Morley was dangerous.
Detective Sergeant Gary Hayward from Topsfield Police Department issued this short statement following Morley's arrest:
Detective Sergeant Gary Hayward from Topsfield Police Department issued this short statement following Morley's arrest:
"Along with the pressure cooker, there were some other items that were concerning"
He refused to comment further as the case was still under investigation.
Authorities state they will not be drawn on whether there is a connection to the marathon bombings or not.
Court filings also suggested a possible connection to Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the alleged marathon bomber who was shot and killed by officers in Boston on 19 April 2013. Daniel told his mother that a close friend of his (and with whom he had recently broken all ties) knew Tsarnaev and had boxed with him on occasion. Marc Pascuito (the individual named as the 'friend' in the sworn testimony against Morley) has since denied ever knowing Tsarnaev.
The investigation into Morley initially rested with local law enforcement teams prior to the FBI becoming involved, yet it took weeks before an announcement was made that the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force were preparing to interview him. Why? Why were they not called in immediately? Even more puzzling - why weren't the Joint Terrorism Task Force racing to Topsfield to interview Daniel themselves?
The items removed from Morley's home were not merely circumstantial and neither were the words of Morley himself upon his own arrest. He said he was about to do something he considered 'beyond the pale' and according to the court documents he also told his mother:
Authorities state they will not be drawn on whether there is a connection to the marathon bombings or not.
Court filings also suggested a possible connection to Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the alleged marathon bomber who was shot and killed by officers in Boston on 19 April 2013. Daniel told his mother that a close friend of his (and with whom he had recently broken all ties) knew Tsarnaev and had boxed with him on occasion. Marc Pascuito (the individual named as the 'friend' in the sworn testimony against Morley) has since denied ever knowing Tsarnaev.
The investigation into Morley initially rested with local law enforcement teams prior to the FBI becoming involved, yet it took weeks before an announcement was made that the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force were preparing to interview him. Why? Why were they not called in immediately? Even more puzzling - why weren't the Joint Terrorism Task Force racing to Topsfield to interview Daniel themselves?
The items removed from Morley's home were not merely circumstantial and neither were the words of Morley himself upon his own arrest. He said he was about to do something he considered 'beyond the pale' and according to the court documents he also told his mother:
“I’m sorry for what I have done . . . and I will have to answer only to God”
Did this indicate Morley was planning to do something very soon in the future or that he already done something he considered so significant, he would only have to answer to God?
The sworn statements also revealed that when asked how he felt about the marathon bombings at the time of the explosions, Daniel said:
The sworn statements also revealed that when asked how he felt about the marathon bombings at the time of the explosions, Daniel said:
“What’s the big deal, people are dying all over the place”
Below is a bomb-making list penned by Morley and removed from his home with the other items. Not only does it demonstrate just how far into the bomb-making process he had apparently ventured (at odds with the insistence that he had no capacity to harm), it also reveals something rather unnerving. It contains instructions on how to build a timer for the finished device: the same instructions that can be found in the now infamous Inspire article 'Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom'.
Bomb-making list and notes on how to build a timer as per 'Inspire' magazine
These were the identical set of instructions investigators claim were used in-part to construct the devices that exploded at the marathon. If that's not enough to get the Joint Terrorism Task Force interested in a case from its inception, just what is?
There is also the issue of the charges Morley is actually facing. The two counts of assault and battery relate to the attack he perpetrated against his mother and her live-in partner, one count relates to his verbal threats to blow up an airplane, whilst the other is listed simply as 'making threats'. Threats to do what exactly? Nobody knows as authorities remain silent.
What about the firearms and Israeli ammunition cache? Mass law states that both the handgun and Russian bolt-action rifle found in Morley's possession would have required licensing through the local Police Department or the Massachusetts State Police, if no local licensing authority was available. It's difficult to envisage how Daniel Morley would ever have held such arms legitimately, so again - why has he not been charged with a crime in accordance with this aspect of criminal law?
These are reasonable questions, as investigators readily concede he was in possession of all the materials needed to construct an identical bomb to the one that exploded at the marathon (prior to the bombings), was clearly well on his way to constructing one (or had already done so) and crucially no one, including Morley, is denying that the items discovered at his home belonged to anyone other than himself.
What about the firearms and Israeli ammunition cache? Mass law states that both the handgun and Russian bolt-action rifle found in Morley's possession would have required licensing through the local Police Department or the Massachusetts State Police, if no local licensing authority was available. It's difficult to envisage how Daniel Morley would ever have held such arms legitimately, so again - why has he not been charged with a crime in accordance with this aspect of criminal law?
These are reasonable questions, as investigators readily concede he was in possession of all the materials needed to construct an identical bomb to the one that exploded at the marathon (prior to the bombings), was clearly well on his way to constructing one (or had already done so) and crucially no one, including Morley, is denying that the items discovered at his home belonged to anyone other than himself.
The issues here are not about mental illness. Morley suffered throughout his adult life with various problems, but that fact on its own does not mean he was capable of harming an individual any more than it proves he was not.
Yet, regardless of intent, motive, and resolve, Daniel Morley's materials and knowledge alone are sufficient to demonstrate a frighteningly potent capacity to harm.
Consider this:
If you were notified that an individual in your neighborhood who was known to law enforcement, known to be mentally ill and in dire need of psychiatric medication and/or treatment, was prone to delusion-fuelled rage and panic, had an appetite for confrontation and illicit drugs, a 6ft 2 frame, 7 years' martial arts training and full and immediate access to a weapons cache and bomb-making facilities, would you be concerned?
Daniel was evidently a threat to public safety and was quite capable of harming any individual had he so wished. Suggestions to the contrary are quite frankly absurd. How many others have been caught with a chemistry set such as his, whether suffering from an illness or not? How many are really capable of preparing for destruction whilst not seeing it for what it truly is?
Very few.
For those reasons, we should not shy away from questioning issues like these simply because it makes us feel uncomfortable, or we fear others will view that query as morally unacceptable. Neither should we back away from further inquiry simply because no one else is prepared to raise legitimate concerns. The FBI aren't talking, police in Boston are silent, and the media have forgotten the incident ever occurred.
Was Daniel Morley connected to the marathon bombings?
The evidence seems to suggest he was.
Yet, regardless of intent, motive, and resolve, Daniel Morley's materials and knowledge alone are sufficient to demonstrate a frighteningly potent capacity to harm.
Consider this:
If you were notified that an individual in your neighborhood who was known to law enforcement, known to be mentally ill and in dire need of psychiatric medication and/or treatment, was prone to delusion-fuelled rage and panic, had an appetite for confrontation and illicit drugs, a 6ft 2 frame, 7 years' martial arts training and full and immediate access to a weapons cache and bomb-making facilities, would you be concerned?
Daniel was evidently a threat to public safety and was quite capable of harming any individual had he so wished. Suggestions to the contrary are quite frankly absurd. How many others have been caught with a chemistry set such as his, whether suffering from an illness or not? How many are really capable of preparing for destruction whilst not seeing it for what it truly is?
Very few.
For those reasons, we should not shy away from questioning issues like these simply because it makes us feel uncomfortable, or we fear others will view that query as morally unacceptable. Neither should we back away from further inquiry simply because no one else is prepared to raise legitimate concerns. The FBI aren't talking, police in Boston are silent, and the media have forgotten the incident ever occurred.
Was Daniel Morley connected to the marathon bombings?
The evidence seems to suggest he was.
Further References:
State V Daniel Morley Criminal Docket number: 1340CR000207 Trial Court of Massachusetts, Newburyport,
Mass10950
Related Posts:
PRESSURE COOKER BOMBS: Would the real Daniel Morley please step up?
PRESSURE COOKER BOMBS: Daniel Morley of Texas is NOT connected to Daniel Morley of Boston
The author holds a Bsc (hons) Criminal Justice and Social Policy, MA Criminal Justice, and has worked extensively within the Criminal Justice System. She now takes a keen interest in investigative journalism with particular emphasis placed on social injustice, the rule of law, and the role of the media in forming public consensus in modern society.
State V Daniel Morley Criminal Docket number: 1340CR000207 Trial Court of Massachusetts, Newburyport,
Mass10950
Related Posts:
PRESSURE COOKER BOMBS: Would the real Daniel Morley please step up?
PRESSURE COOKER BOMBS: Daniel Morley of Texas is NOT connected to Daniel Morley of Boston
The author holds a Bsc (hons) Criminal Justice and Social Policy, MA Criminal Justice, and has worked extensively within the Criminal Justice System. She now takes a keen interest in investigative journalism with particular emphasis placed on social injustice, the rule of law, and the role of the media in forming public consensus in modern society.
Article Correction 02/08/2014
The above article stated that Daniel Morley was arrested at the Occupy Wall Street protests during March 2012. This is incorrect. Morley was actually arrested at the protests in September 2011. We always strive for accuracy at BMB, so please accept our apologies for any confusion caused.
Thanks to Thames for providing the correct information and clarifying the details.
The above article stated that Daniel Morley was arrested at the Occupy Wall Street protests during March 2012. This is incorrect. Morley was actually arrested at the protests in September 2011. We always strive for accuracy at BMB, so please accept our apologies for any confusion caused.
Thanks to Thames for providing the correct information and clarifying the details.
Recommend this
|
VISIT OUR MAIN ARTICLES AND FEATURED STORIES INDEX HERE
Want more? For NIPS, quick takes, and blog posts by the main contributors to this site visit here
________________________________________________
We actively encourage comments, discussion and debate on this site! Please remember to keep it relevant and be respectful at all times.
Want more? For NIPS, quick takes, and blog posts by the main contributors to this site visit here
________________________________________________
We actively encourage comments, discussion and debate on this site! Please remember to keep it relevant and be respectful at all times.