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Women Say Boss Drugged & Assaulted Them

HOUSTON (CN) - A software CEO drugged and sexually assaulted two workers during business trips - one of them twice - the women claim in court.

KH and MB sued Solid Software Solutions dba Edible Software and its CEO and owner Henri Morris, in Harris County Court.

MB says Morris ordered her to join him on a business trip to New York in November 2011.

"During this business trip, defendant Morris drugged (MB) by putting an unknown substance into a drink, unbeknownst to (MB)," the complaint states.

"During this time, Morris attempted to sexually assault (MB) and attempted to forcefully remove her clothing."

KH says Morris took her on a business trip to New York in January this year and did the same thing.

"Defendant Morris drugged (KH) by putting an unknown substance into a drink, unbeknownst to (KH)," the complaint states. "(KH) lost consciousness and awoke some five or six hours later, having no memory of the intertwining time period.

"Later in January of 2012, defendant Morris, again acting in his capacity and within the scope of his duties as president and CEO of defendant Solid Software Solutions directed (KH) to join him on another business trip to Chicago, Illinois.

"During the business trip, defendant Morris again drugged (KH) by putting an unknown substance into a drink, unbeknownst to (KH).

"Again, (KH) lost consciousness but awoke with memories of Morris's face pressed against hers and being sexually assaulted by Morris."

The women seek damages for assault.

They are represented by Jeffrey Todd with The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd in Friendswood, Texas.

Federal agents arrested Morris in April based on KH's accusations.

KH told the agents she drank cocktails with Morris on their trips to New York and Chicago and blacked out, Houston media reported.

"She said she woke up with no memory of what had happened, but after the second trip she thought she remembered being fondled as she heard Morris' voice in her left ear," according to click2Houston.com, the KPRC-TV, Channel 2 website, an NBC affiliate.

Morris' attorney Chip Lewis questioned KH's tale.

"It's a woman who is still employed with the company who has since the date of the allegation interacted and traveled with Mr. Morris," Lewis told Click2Houston. "It cries out to me to be a bit suspicious, her allegations that he somehow drugged her into being involved with some kind of act and yet she continued to work there."

Before federal agents arrested Morris in April they acted on a tip from KH that she and Morris were going on another trip on Feb. 27, Click2Houston reported.

Agents said they found Morris was carrying oxazepam, an insomnia drug, and zolpidem, aka Ambien, a sleep aid drug, the website, run by NBC's Houston affiliate, reported.

Lewis said Morris got the drugs in his native South Africa, where they are obtainable without a prescription.

Morris posted a $1 million bail on April 12, court records show.

He was charged with two counts of sexual abuse, according to a May 1 indictment.

The latest filing in Morris' docket is his unopposed motion for continuance of this trial date until January 2013.

The motion states that Morris will try to resolve the charges without a trial.

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