Carl Morgan

Case overview

Carl Morgan (born 1981) was a former producer of the rap group So Solid Crew. In October 2005 he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 30 years for murdering Colin Scarlett, described as a love rival. He was tried before a jury for the shooting of Colin Scarlett in Tooting, south London, in 2004.

Timeline

• October 28, 2005 — Carl Morgan was sentenced to life imprisonment (minimum 30 years).
• March 2006 — A retrial of co-defendant Megaman (Dwayne Vincent) began and ended with the jury discharged before a verdict could be reached.
• September 28, 2006 — Megaman (Dwayne Vincent) was found not guilty of murder at the Old Bailey after a second retrial began.

The offence

Colin Scarlett, the partner of Morgan's ex-girlfriend, had beaten Morgan up earlier on the day of the murder. Morgan then returned with a gun to claim his retribution. Morgan shot Colin Scarlett three times outside his home in Tooting, south London.

During the trial, the domestic love feud was described as escalating “within hours” into an armed confrontation over perceived “disrespect”.

The prosecution alleged that Megaman had encouraged Morgan to shoot Colin Scarlett. Megaman denied that allegation and the jury was unable to reach a verdict in Megaman’s trial, leading to retrial(s).

Investigation and evidence

Evidence at the Old Bailey concentrated on the lyrics of Megaman’s songs and whether they showed testimony to his ability to commit such a crime. Detective Constable Jeff Brown told the court that he had spent hours listening to them after Megaman claimed to be against firearms. The words, Brown said, showed the opposite, glorifying street shootings. Speakers were set up in court so the jury could listen for themselves.

One track included the line: “It's so easy to pull out a gat. Rat-a-tat-tat. Lay three niggas on their back.”

Megaman gave evidence by singing the chorus of “Ghetto Anthem” to the judge and jury. The lyrics were: “The east side's fighting the west side. It's about time that we flip the script, let's stick together, all turn legit.”

Megaman explained aggressive lyrics in the context of metaphor. He said:

"I don't have 'gold-diggers who pop shots at cops'. I've never been in a situation where I've been shot at or held a gun. "I'm speaking about firearms but I'm using it as a metaphor. I'm saying I'm hitting them with a lot of hits in the music industry."

Trial

Carl Morgan denied murdering Colin Scarlett.

The prosecution case included that Megaman decided to make Morgan’s fight his own, regarding himself as “something of a leader” after achieving celebrity status. Richard Horwell, prosecuting, said that Vincent told Morgan to “burst him”.

Megaman appeared under his real name Dwayne Vincent and denied murder. During the trial Megaman emphatically denied that he had urged his friend to shoot 24-year-old Mr Scarlett. It was said that he had been on his way with Morgan to a studio when Morgan directed him to Scarlett’s address.

Asked by his counsel, George Carter-Stevenson QC, whether he had said anything to encourage Morgan to do anything, Vincent replied:

"Not at all."

Vincent told the jury:

"To say I would encourage a friend to shoot someone is ridiculous. When Colin was in hospital and had not died no-one said anything like that. It is as soon as he died they started to conspire and say I had encouraged the shooting."

The Common Serjeant of London, Judge Brian Barker, ordered that Morgan should serve a minimum of 30 years before he could be considered for parole.

Court statements and quotations in sentencing

Judge Brian Barker described gun crime as “the scourge of our streets”. He said:

“The message must be all one way – that it will not be tolerated.”

He also told Morgan:

"Gun use is the scourge of our streets and causes misery and distress. The message must be all one way - that it will not be tolerated."

He said Scarlett’s family “will get used to his death, they will never get over the untold misery caused”.

The judge also said:

"You expected eye witnesses would be cowed into silence and that ploy very nearly succeeded."

Morgan was found guilty of murder and sentencing was adjourned until Friday, October 28.

Sentencing

On October 28, 2005, Morgan was sentenced to life imprisonment (minimum 30 years).

The judge recommended a minimum of 30 years before parole consideration, described as expected to keep him behind bars until at least 2034 and the age of 53.

Co-defendant proceedings (Megaman / Dwayne Vincent)

Megaman (real name Dwayne Vincent) denied murdering Colin Scarlett.

A retrial was due to take place after the jury failed to reach a verdict. The trial involved a charge that was the same charge faced by Megaman. On March 20, 2006, the retrial period was referenced, and on March 2006 the jury was discharged before a verdict could be reached.

A second retrial began in September 2006. On 28th September (September 28, 2006), Megaman was found not guilty of murder at the Old Bailey.

Aftermath and related details

Morgan was described as a junior member and producer of So Solid Crew, and he had appeared in the band's video for the track “21 Seconds” and “Cry”.

The So Solid Crew collective was described as being made up of 20 or so south London DJs, MCs, singers and producers, known by such names as Oxide and Neutrino. The group topped the charts in 2001 with “21 Seconds” and won in the best video category in the Brit Awards the following year.

Investigators had presented competing interpretations of Megaman’s lyrics as they were played for the jury in court, after Megaman claimed to be against firearms.

A reference was included that Carl Morgan, 24, “from Battersea, south London”, had been told he must serve at least 30 years for the murder of Colin Scarlett in Tooting, south London last November. Another reference noted that Megaman, 26, from Barons Court, west London, would face a retrial next March after the jury failed to reach a verdict on the same charge.