Smithfield man accused of raping, biting victim

Mitchell Dean Morrison, 25, of 4163 N.C. Highway 210, faces three counts of first-degree rape, first-degree sex offense and assault on a female. He is also charged with first-degree burglary, false imprisonment and assault with a deadly weapon, according to authorities.

Morrison is accused of breaking into the victim’s apartment on Park Avenue and raping her on Sunday, according to court documents. During the attack, he is accused of holding a steak knife to her neck causing multiple lacerations, punching her in the face, slapping her and biting her neck leaving visible teeth marks.

Authorities said Morrison also held the woman against her will.

After the suspect fell asleep, the victim ran into another room to get help from her roommates. She called 911 from the bedroom of a female roommate.

In an interview with WRAL News, the victim's other roommate said he held Morrison at gunpoint until police arrived. Several times, the suspect attempted to leave, but the roommate said he told him to stay.

In the 911 call released on Monday afternoon, the victim said she had gotten home from work just after 2 a.m. and went to bed. Her roommates were up watching movies.

Several hours later, the victim said she was attacked.

Though she did not know him, the victim told the dispatcher that her attacker said he knew her.

In his first court appearance on Monday, Morrison asked the judge to move him to a mental health facility at the Durham VA Medical Center. The request was an indication that he probably has a military background, prosecutors said.

A judge declined to rule on the request until Morrison has been assigned a public defender.

Morrison was being held under a $1.1 million bond in the Wake County jail on Monday. His next court appearance is Nov. 15.