Appeals Court Upholds Conviction in Manorville Fatal DWI That Killed 12-Year-Old Boy Scout

The top court in New York State has upheld the conviction of a man who was driving drunk when he struck and killed a 12-year-old Boy Scout from Wading River in Manorville.

The state Court of Appeals issued its ruling July 26, ending the appeals for Thomas Murphy, who a Suffolk County jury found guilty in September 2020 of aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree manslaughter, assault, vehicular assault and reckless driving in the death of Andrew McMorris.

“I hope this decision will provide a small measure of closure for the McMorris family,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “This should not be the end of the story. This tragedy should serve as a reminder to everyone that we need to be vigilant to prevent drunken driving and the resulting devastation it causes.”

Murphy was driving his SUV after drinking at the Swan Lake Golf Club when he swerved and struck a group of Boy Scouts on a hike, killing McMorris on September 30, 2018.

Murphy’s lawyers argued in appeals that he didn’t get a fair trial because prosecutors showed the jury a photo of McMorris dead, that his sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison is excessive and other claims that the appeals court denied.

“Upon reviewing the record here, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence,” the appeals court panel wrote in its decision