A federal appeals court has delayed the reinstatement of Philadelphia Teamster union local chief John Morris.

Morris, secretary-treasurer of Local 115 which he founded more than three decades ago, was ousted by the national Teamsters union, which accused him of using union funds to buy and stockpile weapons and intimidating union members.
U.S. District Judge John Padova ruled last week that Morris should be reinstated, saying the union failed to show that an emergency existed to justify removing the 73-year-old Morris as secretary-treasurer of Local 115 without a hearing.
But the third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stayed Padova's decision until a decision is made during a three-day hearing before three union members, scheduled to start tomorrow.
Morris said he was disappointed, but not surprised, by the turn of events, calling the union panel scheduled to hear his case a "kangaroo court."