Minnesota court denies Mason City man’s challenge

A Mason City man accused of murdering a Blue Earth, Minnesota, hotel clerk has had his request to throw out D-N-A evidence from his trial denied. Faribault County authorities say 46-year-old Roger Morton agreed to have a D-N-A sample taken from his mouth at a hospital before being arrested and charged in the May 29th murder of Mary Klatt. Morton contended that authorities forced him to give the sample, but a Minnesota judge denied Morton’s request to throw out the evidence. A Faribault County grand jury indicted Morton in July on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree premeditated murder and criminal sexual conduct in the death of Klatt. Klatt, a former school teacher from Britt, was raped and strangled at the AmericInn in Blue Earth, where she was a clerk. Morton was working for a roofing company in Blue Earth and staying at the hotel when Klatt was killed. Morton was arrested June 13th in Mason City. He remains in jail on 250-thousand dollar bond.