You should have just manned up and admitted to what you had done, maybe not lied to Morgan twice about it. It probably wouldn't have resulted in your SSRP demotion, personally I feel like you don't deserve any staff rank at all especially after lying to a lead team member about what you did. But I guess that will be up to the DR leadteam. I really really hope you have learned your lesson, because if something like this happens again a demotions would be the least of your worries.