FOX News: Clara Harris murder trial sentence - 20 years in prison, $10,000 fine

FOX News Channel ^ | February 14, 2003 | Fox News Channel Staff

[twyn1]

my take on the child-hitting mom is a little different then this one -- I really think that she just lost it and I pray that she learned a lesson and won't ever lay her hands on the little girl like that again -- she was completely heartbroken when she went into court, even willing to give up custody of her daughter and stay away from her as long as she could remain with her dad & family

[Aggie Mama]

What I find incredible is that the whore that he was having an affair with is going to sue the estate for money. To me, she is the one getting off free here. If I had any say, she would be punished for this also, since she contributed to the end result.

People keep saying that this is Texas justice, but it's not. Texas justice would have been for Clara Harris to shoot both of them on site.

[arly]

Looks like she will be doing fillings on other inmates now for the next twenty years.

[twyn1]

collapsed in tears into the arms of legal assistant -- sobbing uncontrollably

[MeekOneGOP]

It's is 20 years. But it's $10,000 fine, not $20k. Sorry...

TODAY'S TOP STORIES

Harris sentenced to 20 years in prison, $10,000 fine
Jurors today sentenced dentist Clara Harris to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for the July 24 automobile attack on her adulterous husband, David Harris. They deliberated for well over six hours before reaching the decision. With video, photo gallery

[arly]

People keep saying that this is Texas justice, but it's not. Texas justice would have been for Clara Harris to shoot both of them on site.

yeah and then been executed by lethal injection like she really deserves!

[UCFRoadWarrior]

I was surprised at the length of sentence...I would have given her 5 yrs....some time but not too much.

But give it up for the Texas jury......they have serious cajones (and cajonesas, I guess) to slap a long sentence on her

I leaned towards going light on Harris...but the jury must have heard something that bothered them about Harris (probably the step-daughter viweing the murder and her subsequent mental problems)

I think Federal law should require that only juries from Texas sit on capital offense trials.

[LauraJean]

I just wonder if Harris was divorced before or after he started to date Clare.

[uvular]

Does Clara Harris have family, or is it probable the grandparents will get custody of the twins?

[isthisnickcool]

I was surprised at the length of sentence...I would have given her 5 yrs....some time but not too much.

She should have let her lawyer go after David. And not do the silly accident defense. Even if it was true.

[dennisw]

 

Knowing the situation as well as I did I'll never be convinced that she set out to kill David. 

Tell that to dead hubby. He's dead no matter what was running through this bat's mind

But the jury has spoken.

And spoken well.

Maybe Clara's lawyer should have brought up more trash on David. But I heard Clara did not want to drag his memory through the mud.

Get real. They prolly couldn't get their trash admitted to the court.

Sad sad deal all the way around. Sad for David, Clara, the twins and the daughter.

I'm not sad for Clara. Amazing you have sympathy for a conniving, manipulative murderess. You have zero sense of justice. 9 Texas women on the jury are wiser than you.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for the text update !

[guitfiddlist]

She should have let her lawyer go after David. And not do the silly accident defense.

Maybe he convinced the jury - but they accidentally hit her three times with a 6.67 year sentence. (Sarcasm off). A man is dead for a tryst that men AND WOMEN commit millions of times a month, and people are taking about a 5-year sentence being more appropriate?!

[Humidston]

I think her biggest mistake was 1) Having his daughter in the car when she did it and 2) Running over him more than once.

As a woman, I have to agree I'd have been FURIOUS and half nuts if I'd found my husband with his mistress like that. Then, to add insult to injury, he shoved Clara when she menaced his mistress.

I would've liked to see her spend only 5 yrs in prison. Today they interviewed a woman who has a frame shot next door to David's office. The woman said Clara was much much nicer than David. Heck, my husband even said she should've gotten probation!

[Humidston]

Local law professor says she just lost her license along with this conviction....

[writmeister]

She will only be eligible for parole in ten years. It is highly unlikely that she will actually be paroled on her first try since she was convicted of a crime of violence. Additionally, in Texas, people convicted of murder are not eligible for mandatory release. I would be surprised if she serves less than fifteen years.

[iamright]

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/print_73002_local_bridgeskids.html

'Other woman' in Harris case in custody battle for her children. Gail Bridges, in the blond wig, and Julie Knight appeared on the Sally Jesse Raphael Show in April 2001. ABC 13 Eyewitness News (sorry I can't do pictures yet)

(7/30/02) — Clara Harris is accused of driving over her husband at least three times, killing him, all because she suspected him of having an affair with another woman. Now that woman is apparently suspected of having a relationship with yet another woman.

Gail Bridges is the alleged mistress of Dr. David Harris. Julie Knight remains Gail's roommate. Back in April 2001, Gail and Julie appeared on the Sally Jesse Raphael Show accusing their ex-husbands of spying on them.

Now Steve Bridges wants custody of their three kids because he feels Clara Harris is a threat to ex-wife Gail and the couple's children. In court documents Steve Bridges says, "My ex-wife has told me that she believes Mrs. Harris was initially aiming for her with her Mercedes and that she indeed struck the Navigator before she struck Dr. Harris."

Tuesday a Galveston judge agreed with Steve Bridges, saying he can keep the three children until a court hearing August 14.

Meanwhile two high profile attorneys are involved in the case. George Parnham is representing Clara Harris, and now Dick DeGuerin is representing Gail Bridges.

Last Updated: Jul 30, 2002

[txradioguy]

Just to play Devil's advocate here for a minute, has anyone thought that maybe she's not the helpless cheated on wife that she's been portrayed as? Could there have been some underlying motivation (besides the change of scenery) that drove the former Mr. Harris to cheat on his wife?

[mc5cents]

20 years!!! Now she'll be appealing for years with the money of the husband she killed.

I'm surprised that she didn't get sympathy because she is recently widowed! (See Mendez Bros.)

[Enterprise]

"I would've liked to see her spend only 5 yrs in prison."

I would have liked to see her stood before a wall and shot by a firing squad.