Trial postponed for missing girl's father

The trial of the father of one of two girls missing from Evansdale has been delayed.

Dan Morrissey, 36, appeared Black Hawk County District Court Friday for a pretrial conference on four separate cases. Three of the charges against him are related to methamphetamine and other drug charges and another case involves allegations of assault on his estranged wife, Misty Morrissey, the mother of Lyric Cook-Morrissey, who has been missing since July 13.

District Court Judge Andrea Dryer granted a delay in the case, tentatively scheduling the trial for Aug. 28. Trial had been set for Tuesday.

“I can understand why recent events have had your mind and attention on other matters than preparing for trial with your attorney,” Dryer told Morrissey.

Dryer said the charges are “serious” and agreed that Morrissey needed more time to “fully and completely” prepare for trial.

In the request for more time, Morrissey, accompanied by his attorney, Kevin Schoeberl, waived his right to be tried within one year of being arraigned on the charges. Prosecuting attorney Brad Walz, who was also present for the hearing, did not object to the request.

The pretrial conference was two weeks to the day after Morrissey's daughter, Lyric Cook-Morrissey, 10 and cousin Elizabeth Collins, 8, turned up missing. Their bikes and Collins' purse were found on a recreational trial near Meyers Lake in Evansdale. Authorities

are calling the disappearance an abduction.