Dale Lester Morris

Dale Lester Morris, 53, faces two felony counts of bank robbery. He represented himself in Washtenaw County Trial Court during a bench trial on April 18, 2016.

(Lindsay Knake | MLive.com)

ANN ARBOR, MI - After months of lengthy court appearances, a man found guilty in two Ann Arbor area bank robberies continued to profess his innocence at his sentencing Wednesday.

Dale Lester Morris, 53, was sentenced to 71 months to 30 years in prison on May 18 in Washtenaw County Trial Court.

Morris was accused of robbing the Bank of Ann Arbor, 7 W. Michigan Ave., on July 8, 2015, while wearing a fedora and robbing Eastern Michigan University Financial, 761 Jenness St., on July 9, 2015, while wearing pantyhose over his head and a baseball hat.

"I'm innocent of this," he told Judge Archie Brown ahead of the sentencing. "You have the wrong person for this crime."

Morris vehemently fought the charges while representing himself throughout his court proceedings, sometimes becoming verbally combative with judges and attorneys as he questioned the court's authority and the circumstances of his arrest.

Morris originally attempted to argue that the statute that makes bank robberies illegal is invalid, because it does not have an enacting clause, which declares legislative authority. He also asked that the case be dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

When it came time for his trial in April, he demanded a bench trial and said it was "inevitable" that Brown would convict him.

"Let's move this forward so I can get my appellate papers," he said. "This is a charade."

Bank tellers at the Bank of Ann Arbor and Eastern Michigan University Financial testified to giving Morris more than $1,000 and more than $6,000, respectively, after he passed them notes demanding money.

"He said 'Don't do anything or I'll do something,'" Shaina Sondokh, an intern at the Bank of Ann Arbor, said.

Morris then asked for a mistrial based on his assertions, which Assistant Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brenda Taylor combated, that he did not receive evidence prior to the bench trial. He also argued that multiple witnesses who identified him as the bank robber at the trial offered varying descriptions, inaccurate descriptions or descriptions that didn't fit him.

At the sentencing, Morris calmly looked up from his chair while two Eastern Michigan University Financial employees described their continued psychological struggles due to the bank robbery.

Beth Bailey said she was fearful of going back to work and considered changing her profession after the robbery. Now, she has fears of crowds, nightmares and has to make sure all doors and windows are locked.

"I think it is now the felon's turn to take responsibility for his actions," she said. "If it was up to me he'd never see the light of day."

Assistant Washtenaw County Public Defender Laura Dudley, who acted as standby counsel throughout the case, continued to fight on Morris's behalf over the ratings on the sentencing guidelines Wednesday.

Morris was previously sentenced for manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance, conducting a criminal enterprise, fleeing an officer, two counts of felonious assault and felony firearm for incidents dating back to 1986, according to Michigan Department of Corrections records.

He was on parole and five of the sentences were still active at the time of his arrest - something Taylor pointed to when she requested that he receive a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Eventually Brown delivered a sentence within the guidelines of 71 months to 30 years in prison for each robbery, to be served concurrently with each other, but consecutive to his parole cases.

Darcie Moran covers cops and courts for MLive and The Ann Arbor News. Email her at dmoran@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter @darciegmoran.