SALEM – A Lynn paraplegic charged with shooting at two men while inside a black SUV in the early morning hours of Independence Day will have to come up with $75,000 cash bail in order to get out of the Middleton Jail pending his trial.Wendell A. Morris, 21, of 56 Hillside Ave., Lynn, appeared Friday morning, wheelchair-bound, in Salem Superior Court, pleading innocent to two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon as well as carrying a firearm without a license, discharging a weapon within 500 feet of a building, malicious destruction of property over $250, carrying a loaded firearm without a license and possession of ammunition.As jointly recommended by the prosecutor and defense, Judge John T. Lu agreed to set the same bail amount set during a bail review, but agreed to let the defense contest the bail amount set in the future.Assistant District Attorney Christina P. Ronan said the charges arise out of a drive-by shooting incident in Lynn on Timson Street.According to reports, it was around 2 a.m. on July 4 when Morris allegedly fired six shots at two individuals from a black Lexus SUV on Timson Street, but ended up striking a vehicle instead.Police recovered six shell casings from the scene.Witnesses were able to provide authorities with a description of the vehicle and a license plate, which was later traced to a female, an ex-girlfriend of Morris, who was apparently the driver that night.Inside the car police said they recovered a loaded 9mm revolver from a backpack belonging to Morris the following day.When police arrested Morris and began to pat frisk him, he questioned them, saying, “Why are you frisking me, you already got my gun.” He also apparently referred to the female as a “snitch,” according to reports.Morris is due back in court on Sept. 22 for a pretrial conference.
