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A corrections officer at Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility died after a wrestling bout with a resident, according to testimony in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Tuesday.

William Hesson had asked the youth and another resident to wrestle in the laundry room, which he unlocked. Only Hubert Morgan, then 17, took his offer while another 17-year-old watched through a window.

Morgan is charged with murder and on Tuesday, a Juvenile Court judge sent his case to adult court.

The youth who was at the window testified that soon after entering the room, Hesson put Morgan in a headlock called the "guillotine," which is commonly used in mixed martial arts.

Prosecutors say Morgan dealt a serious blow to Hesson's midsection that caused his heart rhythm to malfunction. Morgan's lawyer said that the teen was trying to free himself.

Video cameras in the facility showed views of the outside of the laundry room, but there was not a camera inside to show what caused Hesson to collapse.

The two were in the room only 55 seconds and afterward Morgan ran out with Hesson's baseball-style cap on his head.

When Hesson didn't get up, Morgan went back to help and the other youth alerted staff, who then called for medical assistance, according to witnesses and investigators. Hesson died a short time later at a local hospital.

The Cuyahoga County coroner's office later ruled the death a homicide.

A forensic pathologist testified that the blow or blows also caused damage to Hesson's liver, which helped to determine that the severity was enough to throw his heart out of rhythm.

Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Patrick Thomas argued the violence of the blow to Hesson's body was enough to show Morgan intended to kill the officer.

He said self-defense claims were not at issue in Tuesday's hearing, which was held only to establish there was enough evidence to move the case forward.

Morgan's attorney, Regis McGann, said no evidence was presented to show that Morgan purposely intended to kill Hesson.

"He [Morgan] went back to help him," McGann said. "That does not normally happen in cases where someone is trying to kill someone."

Several witnesses said they did not see any animosity between Morgan and Hesson and that they had been joking earlier in the day when Morgan was trying to snatch a pen from Hesson's pocket.

Investigators testified Morgan initially denied that he had hit Hesson but later admitted he struck the officer.

The case against Morgan, who is from Erie County, will now go to a grand jury, which could indict him on the same murder charges or a different set of charges, if they choose.

Morgan will remain locked up in Erie County, where he is facing charges in a separate case.

Juvenile Court Judge Thomas F. O'Malley heard about two hours of testimony before ruling.

"What happened in that room, I don't know," O'Malley said, noting there may not be any direct witnesses. "You walked out and he didn't."