The decision should be the final chapter in the shocking case that began five years ago
The Michigan Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of Jeffery Bernard Morris, the man convicted of killing professional poker player and commentator Susie Zhao in 2020. The decision, reported late August, leaves Morris with no remaining legal avenues and upholds his life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Morris was convicted in October 2022 of first-degree premeditated murder after a trial that Judge Martha Anderson described as “agonizing.” The case centered on the brutal death of Zhao, who was found burned in a Michigan park in July 2020.
Zhao had recently returned to her home state during the pandemic after spending years playing poker professionally in Los Angeles, where she became a familiar face on live-streamed games such as Live at the Bike. Zhao’s career included $224,671 in recorded tournament earnings, highlighted by deep runs in multiple World Series of Poker Main Events.
Following his conviction, Morris sought to challenge the ruling through a series of legal motions. He argued that his constitutional right to a speedy trial had been violated and that his defense attorney failed to object to certain witness testimony, including statements regarding identification and unrelated shoplifting tactics. He also claimed that errors in his trial, when considered together, warranted a new proceeding.
The Michigan Court of Appeals rejected these arguments in March 2023, stating Morris had “failed to establish that any errors of consequence occurred” and affirming the conviction. Undeterred, Morris filed one last petition with the state’s highest court. On August 29, the Michigan Supreme Court denied the request, writing that it was “not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed.”
