She's also suing the detective agency that followed him, Their most devastating witness was David Harriss teenage daughter Lindsey, who testified that a week earlier her stepmother had told her, With all hes done to me, I could kill him and get away with it. On the night of the killing, she said, Clara stepped on the accelerator and went straight for him, saying moments before impact, Im going to hit him.. Lindsey was already crying when she reached her dying father, and Harris soon joined in. Momentum shifts as Lindsey Harris testifies. She testified that Clara was furious that David was having an affair and determined to catch him in the act, according to a KPRC Channel 2 News report. Accompanying her was Davids sixteen-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, Lindsey, who was visiting from Ohio, where she lived with her mother. She and Lindsey got into Harris silver S-Class 430 Mercedes-Benz and waited. "She ran over him the first time, then two more times. All external sites will open in a new browser. display: none; Lindsey Harris is David's daughter from a previous marraige. The story of an angry dentist killing her husband spread like wildfire. #inline-recirc-item--id-92ad5f4e-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-92ad5f4e-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { She said she quit her job, had sex with her husband three times a night, cooked his favorite meals and hired a personal trainer. They said they had come to the prison every month for the last fifteen years, without fail, to visit their mother. The parents of the victim, David Harris, took the stand, too to testify in support of their daughter-in-law. Prosecutors, however, went after her, saying she knew exactly what she was doing in that Hilton parking lot. Over the years, there were occasional stories in the media about Clara. "Soon after that, it all turned into massive turmoil, and the only thing that I could do was to yell for help for someone to please, please get her off of me.". This time, a jury had little sympathy for Claras story, and it ordered her to pay $3.75 million in damages. WebHere he lived out his life, except for some six years near his brother, David Rice Harris, in Perry County, in the late 1860s and early 1870s. Eventually, Clara and Lindsey stormed back to the Mercedes. I could hear someone yell at me to get away from my car to get away and I didn't quite understand why until I turned and looked. Around Houston, she became a pop culture reference. She was in the car with her stepmother when her father was killed. Lindsey Harris filed a wrongful death lawsuit against her stepmother and was awarded about $2 million from her father's estate, as were her half brothers. David and Clara Harris were married for ten years before she killed him in a fit of rage. She had two sons with her orthodontist husband, David Harris. The lawsuit claimed that Blue Moon, of Webster, which Clara Harris hired to photograph her husband with another woman, should not have told Clara Harris that the two were at the hotel. "The whole scene was very mad.". She said her stepmother made the remark just after finding him with Bridges. The investigators Harris had hired happened to record the entire ordeal on video, which was entered into evidence. When Clara finally stopped the car, she got out, looked around, walked toward her dead husband, cradled him in her arms, and begged him to breathe. [1], Clara Suarez, a Colombian immigrant, was named "Mrs Colombia Houston" and worked as a dentist. Six months later, all Lindsey knows for sure is that her father is dead, and that her stepmother is to blame. They had twin sons named Brian and Bradley in 1998. Recalling the day of the accident, Clara Harris wept as she said "everything seemed like a dream." Clara Harris was born Clara Suarez on Feb. 3, 1958, in Bogot, Colombia, according to Texas Monthly. "Because I heard the bump. The 45-year-old dentist faces up to life in prison when she is sentenced, though the punishment could be reduced if jurors decide she acted with "sudden passion.". On Friday, one of Texass most notorious killers, Clara Harris, was released from prison. CBSNews.com Legal Analyst Andrew Cohen says Texas showed too much mercy towards the Mercedes Muderess. She also testified she even went to a tanning salon and scheduled liposuction and breast enhancement surgery to make him happy, only to catch him in a tryst with Bridges at the same hotel where the Harrises were married on Valentine's Day 1992. Instead, the lawsuit said, the company should have followed its own policy and waited a day to provide that information. Hotel employees escorted Clara to her Mercedes-Benz sedan. A lawsuit on behalf of the children of David Harris, a cheating husband fatally run down by his wife in a jealous rage two years ago, has been tentatively settled, lawyers for the involved parties have confirmed. A total of three times," Lindsey concluded. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Obviously, he hadnt. Perhaps the most powerful witness was David Harris' daughter, 17-year-old Lindsey Harris, who was in Mercedes. Harris said she snapped out of her daze as her stepdaughter screamed for her to stop. Jeff Moore, chief of investigations for Blue Moon, said company officials are "very pleased" with the outcome. In November, Claras application for parole was granted, and her release date was set for May 11. Without warning, she stomped on the accelerator and went straight for my Dad, testified Lindsey, 17, at Harris murder trial Wednesday. Her husband later opened Space Center Orthodontics outside of Houston. The prosecutor lowered her voice to almost a whisper as she made her final points. "Without that information, David Harris would not have been located that evening," said Marty Webber, an attorney for Lindsey Harris. Two of them cried as state District Judge Carol Davies read it in court. Whether youre shopping Way Day 2023 or Walmart, theres an al fresco set for you. The crime was caught on tape by a private investigator Clara Harris had hired to document her husband's affair. "Harris gets 20 years for Mercedes murder", A Wife Betrayed Finds Sympathy at Murder Trial, "Private Investigators, Police Testify at Dentist's Trial", "Trial in Killing of Orthodontist Goes to Jury", "Victim's Daughter Testifies at Murder-by-Car Trial", "Clara Harris denied parole in husband's death", "Clara Harris, infamous Houston dentist who ran over husband, released from prison", "Clara Harris released from prison after 15 years", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_David_Lynn_Harris&oldid=1145070527, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 17 March 2023, at 03:41. The teenager said she never thought her stepmother would act on a comment that she could kill David Harris and get away with it. Get a 42-inch oscillating fan for 15% off with this deal. If convicted, Harris could be sentenced to life in prison. The stepfather of Lindsey Harris is upset that defense attorneys accused her of testifying Wednesday to help in her family's wrongful death lawsuit against Clara Harris. Harris faces the possibility of life in prison and the same jury that so quickly found her guilty will have a large say in what the punishment ought to be, Cohen said. This post has been updated since publication to correct an error: the minimum punishment for intentional murder is five years, not twenty years. "There's no indication that they did call the police. Clara and her stepdaughter, Lindsey, began to drive around town after they could not find David at the restaurant where he said he was taking Ms. Bridges. Lucretia was born about 1795. [3] Suspicious, Clara hired a private detective agency to monitor David, and on July 24, 2002, the agency notified her that he was at a hotel with his mistress. "They did not specifically have procedures and proper training to train their employees in how to deal with these situations," Webber said. Clara Harris retained $1.2 million in assets. "She ought not get credit for making herself a single parent," the prosecutor told jurors before deliberations began. Then she did another 180 and ran over him a third time. "What did Lindsey say to you?" That was when she struck me on my leg with the vehicle," the mistress said. }, First published on February 13, 2003 / 3:16 PM. She said she glimpsed her husband: "I saw some surprised eyes.". "I think I closed my eyes" just before impact, she testified. Garza asked Bridges. Henry was born in Bute (later Warren) County, North Carolina. Staring at a photo of her twin boys, Clara bowed her head, her dark brown eyes brimming with tears, and then was escorted away. Leave them blank to get signed up. Lindsey testified against her stepmother, claiming she told her to stop the vehicle. After it was over, Clara Harris led Lindsey to the Mercedes. David Harris was killed in the hotel parking lot moments later. Through it all, however, Clara Harris only wanted people to know the truth about what really happened the night she murdered her husband. [1][7] The prosecution claimed Clara's actions were more than a crime of passion, but that she "wanted to hurt" David, as she was heard saying in a police interview. Bush: Prosecutor taking up Schiavo inquiry. The two began working to repair their marriage, and David Harris even told a friend, Were going to make it. He then informed his wife that he wanted to take Bridges to one last dinner to end things amicably, as he had led the receptionist to believe that his marriage was open. Reward offered as manhunt for Texas shooting suspect reaches "dead end", Louisiana's health care deserts put women, babies at risk, doctors say, Second convoy of U.S. citizens fleeing Khartoum arrives at Port Sudan, How a tall Texan became an unlikely Australian rules football star, Surviving the torturous hell of the Hanoi Hilton, Texas surfer pushed offshore by strong winds rescued by Coast Guard, Tornado flips cars, downs trees after touching down in South Florida, Shaquil Barrett's 2-year-old daughter dies in drowning accident, Investors sue Adidas over Kanye West Yeezy deal. YouTubeDavid and Clara Harris were married for ten years before she killed him in a fit of rage. Clara Harris and attorney George Parnham after the first day of testimony in 2003. Im going to hit him, Harris told the teenager. #inline-recirc-item--id-92ae5a70-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Her sons were placed in the care of family friends, and her stepdaughter Lindsey testified against her at the trial that began in January 2003. Witnesses recalled Lindsey screaming and trying to get out of the car, but Harris sped off to run over her husband. Abbott, FBI announce rewards for info on Cleveland mass shooter, Massive ranch up for sale near Texas next big state park, 3,800-acre San Antonio-area property to become Texas state park, Texas man catches giant alligator snapping turtle, releases it, Former KPRC 2 anchor Dominique Sachse to launch podcast Monday, Uber ranks Houston among most 'forgetful' U.S. cities, Texas to host national hot air balloon championship this summer, Report: Texas man took break from dinner date to kill man outside, One of Houston's tallest skyscrapers to become apartment complex, J.J. Watt tweets the 2 things he doesn't miss about Houston, You can own your own cave system for a cool $875k, home included, Texas college baseball player hit by stray bullet mid-game, Greg Abbott announces $50k reward for information on Cleveland shooting, Massive Coastal Bend ranch up for sale near Texas next big state park, Property north of San Antonio set to become a new Texas state park, Texas man catches massive alligator snapping turtle, then releases it back into the wild, How former KPRC 2 anchor Dominique Sachse is getting back to reporting, Uber ranks Houston among the most 'forgetful' U.S. cities. Raised by her widowed mother, she grew into an ambitious adult who studied dentistry in her home country before making her way to the United States in the late 1980s. Despite the medical examiner's report, the defense was unable to prove that she did not in fact run over him multiple times. "I think I closed my eyes" just before impact, she testified. Clara and Lindsey walked into the lobby just as David and his office receptionist, Gail Bridges, were emerging from an elevator. She always said that I wrote a long article about her, titled Suburban Madness, for Texas Monthly. I don't know if she had run over him or if he had gotten away," Lindsey answered. WebLindsey Burke Harris (born November 19, 1993) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper. Since it only showed Harris circling the parking lot, and since David was barely visible, the defense argued she only hit him once. HOUSTON Gail Bridges had been having an affair with Clara Harris' husband, David, for months -- an affair Clara says drove her to kill her husband. The person at the front desk told them that neither David Harris nor Bridges was registered with the hotel. Reward offered as manhunt for Texas shooting suspect reaches "dead end" Clara Harris was then escorted by hotel employees to her Mercedes S-Class in the parking lot and accompanied by Lindsey Harris. She knew what she did and she wasnt sorry, said Lindsey. According to bar napkin notes kept by Clara Harris, David Harris thought his wife was overweight, dominated conversations and was a workaholic, all in contrast to Bridges. If Harris were a minority defendant we would have seen a life sentence in this case. Recalling the day of the accident, Clara Harris wept as she said "everything seemed like a dream." The chain was particularly successful, and the couple was able to afford an upscale home and lifestyle in Friendswood, Texas. When the car stopped, Lindsey ran around to the drivers side. According to the medical examiner's office, they could only be certain there was one tire mark on the body, but Lindsey and eyewitnesses assert Clara ran over David three times. Please enter valid email address to continue. } else { What the Bleep Is Going On With Texas Property Taxes? What very few people knew was that Clara was a model prisoner. Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. "It's hard to tell. "And that's the position you're in right now, but I know you will do the right thing.". But she denied trying to run him down and said she didn't recall hitting him. "'She killed my dad. Assistant District Attorney Mia Magness, who is prosecuting the case, asked the teenager. The case was profiled on the Oxygen Network series Snapped in 2004, on ABC News's 20/20 in 2006, and on Investigation Discovery's Deadly Women in 2010. Clara Harris Says She Still Loves Her Dead Husband, Jury Considers Punishment For Clara Harris, Jurors Set To Begin Deliberations In Clara Harris Case, Closing Arguments Wednesday In Harris Trial, Jurors Told To Bring Toothbrushes In Clara Harris Trial, Clara Harris' Attorney Collapses Outside Courtroom, Harris' Lover Testifies About Relationship, Defense Goes After Victim In Clara Harris Case, Collision Expert Testifies About Harris' Death, Accusations Fly After Harris Daughter Testifies, Harris' Daughter Testifies: 'She Meant To Kill Him', Stepdaughter To Testify In Clara Harris' Trial, Harris Cries Uncontrollably, Removed From Trial, Private Investigator Testifies In Clara Harris Trial, Witnesses Describe Harris Running Over Husband, Jury Selection Continues In Harris' Murder Trial, Jurors To Be Picked For Clara Harris' Trial, Harris' Stepdaughter's Remarks Spark Debate, Audiotapes Allege Clara Harris Also Having Affair, Custody Battle Stems From High-Profile Murder, Wife Free After Allegedly Running Over Husband. She wasnt saying anything. Days earlier, David had admitted to Clara that he and Gail had been having an affair, and he had promised Clara that he would end it. Bridges then walked to her car with David following. Without warning, she stomped on the accelerator and went straight for my Dad, testified Lindsey, 17, at Harris murder trial Wednesday. Harris agreed, but she secretly hired a private investigator to follow them to dinner and ensure her husband ended the relationship. (While the sentence for intentional murder in Texas is five years to life, murder in sudden passion carries a minimum penalty of just two years, with a maximum of twenty years.) Clara's sons, who are in the custody of family friends, were said to visit about once a month. In the heat of the moment, she went on to say, she didnt even know she had run over David. Clara Harris stood stoically as the verdict was read, her lawyer's arms around her. Clara Prosecutor Mia Magness, however, said Harris was using her sons as a "shield" to gain probation. So she will walk out of prison in about 10 years or so (with time off for good behavior and parole)," says Cohen. Bridges says before Clara Harris was pulled off of her, Harris attacked her -- she pulled her hair, punched her head and face, and bit her. Clara contends that she did not see David when she ran into him with her car. With her stepdaughter in the car, she ran over him three times and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Harris' attorney, George Parnham, had argued that the crime happened moments after an emotional and volatile confrontation between Harris, her husband and his mistress at the same hotel where the couple was married. display: block; Harris already knew about the affair when she hired Blue Moon Investigations, a private detective agency, in July 2002. How Did James Dean Die? / CBS. She urged prison time, though she made no specific recommendation about the length of a sentence. After the car came to a stop, Lindsey said she got out and began hitting Clara Harris, who was knelt next to her husband saying, "I'm sorry. Lindsey Harris was the prosecution's only witness during the penalty phase of the trial. He came up with a new strategy. Court was scheduled to reconvene later Thursday for the sentencing phase. "If Harris were a man we would have seen a life sentence in this case. Its too bad if they do, said Detoto, who has kept in touch with Harris since her conviction. Taylor Prewitt is the newsletter editor for Texas Monthly. Gabriel Harris Daughter, Jasmine, Is Close To Her Grandmother Joan Baez and David Harris were once the power couple in the music world. His children are Dr. Joseph Denton Harris, IV and Donna Harris of Beaumont, TX, Mary Kathleen Harris of Houston, TX, Peggy Harris Lacy and Mike Lacy of Dallas, TX, Connie Harris Arnold and Dr. David Arnold of Liberty, TX, Ann Marie Harris and Pam Karter of Liberty and Houston, TX, Dr. James Mitchell Harris and Meredith Harris of He pointed out that even David Harris' parents and brother had testified on Clara Harris' behalf. The 45-year-old dentist had faced up to life in prison if the jury had ruled she had not murdered her husband as a crime of "sudden passion", or as little as probation. She married David Harris on February 14, 1992, at the Nassau Bay Hilton, and raised three children: twin sons Brian and Bradley, born in 1998, and David's daughter Lindsey from a previous marriage. They were more concerned, from what we can tell, about the embarrassing situation that was going on in the lobby of their hotel," Davis said. A hotel employee tried to stop them. display: none; Bridges says that's when Harris came back around and hit David then ran over him repeatedly. Whether youre shopping Way Day 2023 or Walmart, theres an al fresco set for you. They seemed like the perfect family but on July 24, 2002, Harris fatally ran over her husband with her car. Claras application for parole was granted, Why These Ugly, Abandoned Longview Homes May Be Worth Saving. Parnham suggested that the victim himself would have wanted his wife to receive probation and continue raising their twin 4-year-old sons. Clara Suarez, a Colombian immigrant, was named "Mrs Colombia Houston" and worked as a dentist. Perhaps the most powerful witness was David Harris' daughter, 17-year-old Lindsey Harris, who was in Mercedes. The 17-year-old's pivotal testimony on Thursday gave jurors a firsthand glimpse into the horror Lindsey witnessed the night of July 24, when she was sitting in the front passenger seat of Clara Harris' Mercedes S-Class. If you need help with the Public File, call (713) 778-4745. College career. / CBS. The lawsuit also said hotel management failed to provide effective security or notify police in time to prevent Harris' death and failed to train its employees to deal with domestic disputes. Davids daughter from a previous marriage, Lindsey Nicole Harris, who was in the car at the time of the incident, testified against her stepmother in the trial. "We're just glad it's over," he said. But shes a wonderful woman. With all hes done to me, I could kill him and get away with it, Harris had allegedly stated. The tragedy took place at the parking lot of the Hilton Hotel at Nassau Bay last year. After learning about Clara Harris, read about Leona Candy Stevens lying in court to liberate her husband Charles Manson. Get a 42-inch oscillating fan for 15% off with this deal. Any money made in Lindsey Harris' lawsuits would go towards her pain and anguish. "The lawsuit against us is baseless. The 44-year-old Colombian had moved to America in the 1980s and opened her own successful dentistry practice. A California law says yes. In July 2002, Clara Harris had her teenage stepdaughter with her as she tracked down her husband David Harris to the Nassau Bay Hilton where he was with his Lindsey, meanwhile, testified that Harris had made shocking statements one week before David was killed, as reported by ABC News. Clara Harris is serving a 20-year sentence for murder in the case, which drew national attention. Only part of the interview was played; the jury heard Clara state that she "wanted to hurt" her husband, but not the portion where she said later in the interview, "I didn't want to kill him." After the initial collision, Clara Harris circled around and ran over him again, the teen testified. The teenager said she never thought her stepmother would act on a comment that she could kill David Harris and get away with it. She was quickly inundated with requests for interviews, but she turned all of them down. I could tell when we were going over the big concrete curve and when we were going over my dad. Its free. "He once told me that he would like to spend the rest of his life with me, and he did," Bridges said. Harris insisted the death last July was an accident and that she only wanted to damage the black Lincoln Navigator belonging to her husband's receptionist turned lover, Gail Bridges.
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lindsey harris daughter of david harris