Morgan's murder trial date set for mid-November
A judge postponed the next court appearance for the man accused of killing a friend in 2021, while the defendant remains in custody after his $1 million bail was revoked.
By Neha Kapoor ·
John Powell Morgan III appeared in Boulder City Justice Court on Tuesday, where a judge set a new date for the next step in his open murder case. The hearing, originally scheduled earlier, has been pushed to November 17 at 1 p.m. Judge Gregory Mills presided over the proceedings via video teleconference. Judge Christopher Tilman removed himself from the case because he had previously represented Morgan in private practice.
Morgan faces one count of open murder with the use of a deadly weapon. The charge stems from an incident on May 31, 2021, when Scott Dingman was shot in the roadway of Fairway Drive. At the time, both men were armed and had been drinking. Although Morgan admitted to firing the gun, Boulder City police initially ruled the shooting a self-defense act. The district attorney did not file charges based on that determination.
The legal status of the case changed after new evidence emerged. Boulder City police stated that they received additional information in 2025, prompting a fresh review by investigators. In April of that year, officers executed a search warrant at Morgan's residence. They recovered materials that supported further investigation. After a year of reviewing that information, investigators established probable cause for an arrest warrant.
Morgan was apprehended at a car dealership in Henderson nearly two weeks ago. He was taken into custody based on the new warrant. His attorney, Louis Schneider, told the Boulder City Review last week that Morgan intends to plead not guilty. That statement followed Morgan's initial court appearance on October 25.
The upcoming hearing on November 17 is classified as a status check. A status hearing is a procedural meeting where a judge monitors the progress of a pending case. It is not a trial or a sentencing. The session will determine the next moves in the legal process.
Morgan remains in custody following the revocation of his original $1 million bail. That bail issue is expected to be addressed during the November 17 proceedings.
