Suspect in crash that killed bicyclists attacked previous attorney, records show

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Two weeks before Mikese Morse allegedly ran over a father and his sons as they rode their bikes on a sidewalk, he walked into a Tampa police station and threatened to hurt someone if he was allowed to leave, according to police.

Tampa officers detained Morse under the guidelines of the Baker Act. Records show it was his fourth time being involuntarily detained for a mental health evaluation.

During Morse's stay at a mental health facility in June, documents show he attacked his public defender.

Attorney Joseph Kuss suffered minor injuries during the physical altercation and, according to court records, asked to be removed from the case. 

Hillsborough public defender Julie Holt says her office doesn’t discuss active cases but her office will not recuse itself from Morse's murder case.

Officials say Morse posted rants and threats on Instagram.

Attorney Anthony Rickman, who is not involved in this case, says Morse's defense will likely involve an insanity plea.

"If you're going to do a u-turn and run your vehicle like a weapon into a family you have some mental issues. You've got mental illness. This guy has documents of mental illness but it doesn't mean you're mentally insane," said Rickman. 

Sources say Morse gave police a full confession after running down the family.

Rickman says in order to prove mental insanity, you have to show that Morse did not know right from wrong when he committed the crime.

"Does he show that what he knew he was doing was wrong? That's what the defense is going to be faced with if they want to raise insanity," explained Rickman.