Crown drops murder charge against Amherst man

The Crown has dropped a murder charge against an Amherst, N.S., man who was accused of killing 23-year-oldJerry Jordan Morrissey nearly a year ago.

A spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service told CBC News in an emailthe Crown concluded the evidence against Joseph Thomas Hartson didn't meet the prosecutorial test.

Hartson is still facing five weapons charges and is due to appear at Amherst provincial court on Nov. 7.

The charges against Harston include:

• Careless use of a firearm.
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm.
• Possession of a firearm knowing possession is unauthorized.
• Everyone who commits an offence who carries or possesses a weapon.
• Contravenes a regulation to store, handle, transport, ship, display a fire arm.

Morrissey was shot and killed in AmherstNov. 8, 2021.