Man Accused of Bar Brawl Murder Pleads Guilty

A Fargo man pleaded guilty in the death of a man outside a bar last May.
 
Nicholas Morris, who is one of the four men being accused for the death of Joey Gaarsland, canceled his jury trial that was set for next Tuesday.

Instead Morris admits guilt to some of the charges he is facing.

“Today we had a hearing in the Nicholas Morris case that is involved in the death of Joey Gaarsland. Mr. Morris entered a guilty plea as an accomplice to murder. That’s a class AA felony. He also entered guilty pleas for conspiring to assault Laura Gaarsland and Matthew Breitbach,” says Cass County prosecutor Tristan Van de Streek.
 
Nicholas Morris originally pleaded not guilty on August 26th of last year.

He wrote a letter confessing his involvement.

In that letter, Morris wrote that he jumped in to defend Scott Moen and was tackled by Laura Gaarsland.

When he got up, he fled the scene with three others.

At the hearing, prosecutor Tristan Van de Streek says there are text messages from Morris that night indicating what happened, along with his loyalty to Scott Moen.
 
“We’re very pleased that Mr. Morris accepted responsibility and enter guilty pleas today,” says Van de Streek.
 
Morris and three others were charged with murder after a bar brawl that happened last May.

Reports say a confrontation led the dispute spilling into the parking lot between Rick’s and Specks.

Nicholas Morris along with Scott Moen, Jason Oien and Jessy Olson allegedly beat Joey Gaarsland and assaulted his wife, Laura.

Joey suffered fractures to his face and died six days later.

Moen pleaded guilty last November.
 
Van de Streek says, “There are still two defendants who have not yet been tried. Those defendants are of course innocent until proving guilty but we look forward to the opportunity to having try those cases.”

Joey’s sister, Desiree, did not want to go on camera but says that she has no words to describe how she feels about this hearing.

She says she just wants them behind bars.

The pre-sentence investigation can take up to 60 days before a sentencing date will be scheduled.