Judge says jury can convict Clara Harris of something less than murder

Houston Chronicle ^ | February 12, 2003 | Houston Chronicle Staff

[MeekOneGOP]

I will be posting the article when a verdict on this trial is out, as well as sentencing (possibly, any updates in between as well).

If you want to see the articles (be 'pinged'), let me know.

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Stay tuned for the next episode of...'As the World Turns'…

AP 2-7-2003
Defendant Clara Harris reacts as she
testifies about her husband's affair.

Associated Press photos 2-10-2003 Defense lawyers for murder defendant Clara Harris, right, rested their case today after her mother-in-law, Mildred Harris, left, testified that the woman who drove over her son with a Mercedes-Benz is still "like a daughter." Prosecutors, however, immediately called an Houston police officer to the stand to rebut her lawyers' claims that David Harris was hit only once.

[MeekOneGOP]

I will be posting the article when a verdict on this trial is out, as well as sentencing, and possibly any updates in between as well.

I will ping you to these articles and updates only if you ask to be on this list. Please let me know if you want on.

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Clara Harris murder trial ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[MeekOneGOP]

The A/P version from the Dallas Morning News...

Final arguments begin in Houston murder case

02/12/2003

Associated Press

HOUSTON - Defense attorneys say it was an accident but prosecutors say a wife turned her Mercedes-Benz into a 4,000-pound murder weapon when she ran over her husband after finding him with another woman.

Lawyers Wednesday delivered closing arguments in the four-week trial, after which jurors were to begin deliberations in the case against Clara Harris, 45.

Harris ran over her 44-year-old orthodontist husband, David Harris, in a suburban hotel parking lot last summer after confronting him with his lover. She says the death was an accident and that she ran over her husband just once.

Prosecutors say the attack was intentional and David Harris was run over at least twice. At the very least, prosecutor Mia Magness said Clara Harris' reckless driving resulted in her husband's death, so she should be held accountable for at least manslaughter.

Defense attorney George Parnham called David Harris' extramarital lover, Gail Bridges, a "homewrecker" who should share blame for what happened the evening of July 24 after Bridges and David Harris had a tryst at a hotel.

"I'm not up here to vilify the memory of David Harris ... but there were some bad choices, folks," Parnham said. "There were some bad decisions made here."

Various witnesses in the case testified the husband was run over three times -- or as many as five times. A defense expert testified David Harris only was hit once, though he did not interview any witnesses.

In addition to murder and manslaughter, the jury also could consider the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide if they decide against the other two charges.

If convicted of murder, Clara Harris could face life in prison -- but her lawyers have indicated they would then lodge a "sudden passion" argument that could reduce the sentencing guidelines to two to 20 years in prison.

A manslaughter conviction carries the same sentencing guidelines, while a criminally negligent homicide conviction would bring a sentence ranging from six months to two years in prison. Sentencing severity also could be affected if the jury decides Clara Harris used her car as a deadly weapon.

As she began her closing argument, Magness urged jurors to strongly consider murder and not to even consider the lesser charges.

"As a group if you believe it's murder and two of you think it's a lesser offense, you do not have to compromise to accommodate them," she said.

Among witnesses who took the stand during 13 days of testimony were Lindsey Harris, the victim's daughter who was a passenger in the $70,000 luxury sedan when he was run over. David Harris' receptionist and girlfriend, Gail Bridges, also took the stand.

The victim's mother, father and brother testified on behalf of Clara Harris, who took the stand in her own defense, telling jurors she loved her husband and did everything possible to save their marriage.

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Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/021203dntexharris.8ba2b8.html

[dirtboy]

Judge says jury can convict Clara Harris of something less than murder

Like what? Illegal parking?

[isthisnickcool]

Judge Carol Davies opened today's proceedings by telling jurors they can find her guilty of something less than murder for running over her husband after catching him at a Clear Lake hotel with the receptionist she'd fired just days earlier.

Like I said on the other thread here.: I'd expect that when it gets down to it the DA will submit lesser charges as options for the jury to consider besides the current charge. And that she will be convicted on a lesser charge then receive some kind of probation.

Put me on your ping list.

[BenLurkin]

She murdered him alright but the jury understands why. Maybe for punishment we can fix her up with Scott Peterson.

[MeekOneGOP]

AP If convicted of murder,
Clara Harris could face
life in prison.

[SerpentDove]

Meek,

Please include me on your Clara Harris ping list.

Thanks!

SD

[BenLurkin]

Caption:

"That's right y'all. You jus' let little missy go, an mah fam'ly will take care of the justice doin'. Ah can hardly wait!"

[Wolfie]

Quite a difference in the judge's instructions from the Rosenthal case, eh?

[connectthedots]

My guess is manslaughter with a slight possibility of criminally negligent homicide. Doubt it will be murder since she could not have known she would see him in the garage of the hotel or planned in advance to run him over with the car.

[cherry]

maybe mommy and daddy Harris know something about their son that makes them stand behind their dtr in law.....one wonders....

[MeekOneGOP]

You're on, thanks !

Did you see the closing arguments? Magness was very convincing to me.

I bet she she gets a murder conviction and does time.

[MeekOneGOP]

...Maybe for punishment we can fix her up with Scott Peterson.

LOL ! Hmm? I'm trying to figure out which one's getting the worse deal...

[isthisnickcool]

maybe mommy and daddy Harris know something about their son that makes them stand behind their dtr in law.....one wonders....

Ya think? Mercedes beats man with temper?

[MeekOneGOP]

You're on. Thanks...

[connectthedots]

Why did the witnesses not pull him out of the way after hewas run over the first time, or certainly by the second time?

[BartMan1]

death by Mercedes .....wow....the video footage that the private investigator shot of her circling over and over to hit him again and again is worth a look...

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Sympathy, however, is irrelevant to deciding guilt, she said.

I thought "He needed killun'" was a valid defense in Texas?

Seriously, I'd vote not guilty though. There'd be a lot less adultery and divorce if more of these type of events happened.

[isthisnickcool]

death by Mercedes .....wow....the video footage that the private investigator shot of her circling over and over to hit him again and again is worth a look...

The PI firm, Blue Moon is likely to have some problems over all of this....