Among them was the reasoning that could be best described as a crime of passion. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison but was released on parole in 2018 after serving 15 years. She said she was surprised by the reaction because she thought the affair was within the bounds of the Harris marriage. If she is convicted, her lawyers are prepared to lodge a "sudden passion" argument that could result in a sentence far lower than the life maximum under Texas law. "We don't know exactly when it happened, but (Houston Police) are investigating," said Sylvia Trevino, HPD spokesperson. Bobbi Bacha of Blue Moon Investigations said Knight went to the agency's Bay Area Boulevard offices after Christmas 1999. The two men accused their wives of having a bisexual relationship, a claim both women denied. Defense attorney George Parnham has said it was an accident when Clara Harris fatally injured her husband. "It's sad because they are very good mothers. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Clara Harris is no longer under the watch of the Texas criminal justice system, for now. He loved her. Her release date has not yet been revealed. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Those who knew her say that, while growing up in northeast Harris County's Crosby community, Gail Thompson was popular and involved in many activities. Bridges lived in a townhouse and Knight lived in an apartment across the street, acquaintances say. I wanted her to be able to start seeing the things I had seen.". David Harris' first wife and mother of his kids, including the girl who was in the car with Clara when the murder occured, filed in federal court to freeze David's estate so Clara can't benefit from the proceeds of her wrongdoing. Check out the all NEW Advocate Channel! February 5, 2003 / 9:00 PM Here's how. Officials announced on Monday that . It ended with David Harris, 44, dead and his wife, a 44-year-old dentist, charged with murder. Mo. "I know there are many people in the Clear Lake area that believe that my ex-wife and Julie Knight had a romantic relationship, even as I assume my ex-wife and Julie Knight will deny those allegations," Steve Bridges said in his petition last week seeking custody of the children. Then, she said, she and the defendant went to a salon, where Harris had her hair cut and colored. Performance meets portability with Apple's 2023 MacBook Pro. (AP), Be sure to follow Bridges, fighting back tears but calmly fielding questions, said she did not see David Harris struck by his wife's car. When asked whether she had had intercourse or "other sexual contact" with anyone besides her husband since they married, she responded that "other sexual contact" was too broad and vague. ", "You've never seen that side of the defendant?". Her goal was to save her marriage., Adding, Her life story should not be about this incident. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? It was Knight who called police last weekend to report that Clara Harris was knocking on Bridges' front door. Nassau Bay police originally handled Harris' arrest, but said Thursday they are not investigating the burglary. In another strange twist, it was revealed that Steven Bridges and his ex-wife's best friend's husband, Charles Knight, had hired the same private investigator - Blue Moon - during the two women's divorces. She said she was surprised by the reaction because she thought the affair was within the bounds of the Harris marriage. Suburban Madness. The two-story home has an appraised value of $206,580. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. featured Bridges and Knight in disguise with their voices altered. It ended with David Harris, 44, dead and his wife, a 44-year-old dentist, charged with murder. Bridges took jurors through the time she was hired at David Harris' orthodontic practice in August 2001, to a blossoming romance last April and finally a sexual rendezvous. But when he put his hands on her, it brought it to a whole new level. Then, prosecutors said Clara Harris crossed two grassy medians and ran over her husband three more times before she put the car in reverse and backed over his body, leaving the car parked on top of him. "Unfortunately, I have had to suffer many things," Bridges told the Galveston County Daily News in Thursday's editions. But with Bridges' arrival, the two witnesses told jurors, things quickly went downhill. She is being held at the Brazoria County Jail while a custody dispute over her 4-year-old twin boys is settled. They had twin sons named Brian and Bradley in 1998. Bacha said the two are the best of friends, but she believes they are no more than that. Ms. Sherrill's testimony was peppered by objections, most of them sustained, by prosecutor Mia Magness. SEE MORE: Scorned lovers and deadly consequences: 6 violent love triangles that shocked Houston. She said Julie was reluctant to order surveillance but finally agreed. She is a victim.". The driver's door on Bridges' 2000 Navigator is badly bent and unable to close, and the side molding was ripped off. But asked by a defense attorney if she blamed Clara Harris for being angry, she said: "No ma'am, I do not." Video requires Real Player), The testimony: Day 1: Hotel employees tell what they saw Day 2: Grainy videotape reveals little Day 3: Clara Harris told private eye husband "a good man" Day 4: Defendant's sobs halt trial twice. On July 24, 2002, Clara Harris, 60, killed her husband, 44-year-old orthodontist David Harris, after she found him with his alleged mistress, Gail Bridges, authorities said. Clara Harris, the former dentist who was convicted of hitting and killing her husband David with her car, has completed her parole requirement. Bridges said the horror remains fresh of 44-year-old David Harris' death as his wife ran over him again and again with her silver Mercedes-Benz after discovering him with Bridges at a. "They suspected the husbands might be spreading the rumors, and they also suspected that their husbands might be doing something themselves.". David Harris' 16-year-old daughter - Clara Harris' stepdaughter - was in the passenger seat of the car at the time. Her case is best known for grabbing international headlines due to the wild twists and turns that came out during the trial, including the unleashed brutality described when David died. She reportedly ran him over again after the initial impact, delivering five fatal blows to his upper body, according to reports filed by the coroner. In July 2002, the mother of two made headlines when she hit her 44-year-old husband David with her silver Mercedes-Benz and ran over him three times before stopping directly on top of his body. "I am striving to move forward with my life by looking for the positive rather than the negative.". "I couldn't believe he could sleep holding her all night because we had never slept like that, never," Clara Harris said of her 10 years of marriage. "I believe David saved my life that night because he wanted me to live," Gail Bridges, 39, said this week. On July 24th, 2002, they found David at a hotel with his mistress, Gail. Here's how. The former Friendswood dentist was convicted in 2003 for hitting and killing her husband, David Harris, with her car the year before in the parking lot of a Nassau Bay hotel. Gail has told me that she feels that her life is in danger.". Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. GATESVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM)- Clara Harris, the Texas woman who ran over her cheating husband with her Mercedes-Benz after she caught him with his mistress, is now a free woman. 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. All Rights Reserved. He also contends that Gail attempted suicide in 2000 by taking a large number of pills, but made herself throw up. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. This was his wife. First Republic Bank seized by regulators, then sold to JPMorgan Chase Published on November 8, 2017 02:02 AM. Did he have other girlfriends on retainer? The woman whose affair with her boss prompted his wife to run him down with her Mercedes-Benz fought back tears Tuesday as she testified she believed the marriage was "open" to other sexual partners. On Friday she came out of hiding, seeking custody of their two. She never would have wanted him to die, Claras lawyer, Kevin Stouwie, told local Texas news outlet KTRK. Gail Alison Bridges, age 29. Also known as Patricia Gail Sharp, Patricia Gail Bridges, Gail G Sharp, Patricia Gail Beeson, G Sharp, Gail Gail Beeson. She testified she quit her job as a dentist that week, scheduled liposuction and breast enlargement surgeries, went to a tanning salon and joined a fitness center. Harris had earlier broken a windshield wiper on the vehicle and scratched it, testimony showed. "He hung on every word of Gail's. Chuck Knight was upset that the surveillance didn't catch them in a compromising way, Bacha said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Hey bro, what's goin' on around here? defense attorney Emily Munoz asked. Not everyone is going to act like a saint, but we need to have a better understanding of high-risk behavioral impact on individuals and our culture. } 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Bridges, fighting back tears but calmly fielding questions, said she did not see David Harris struck by his wife's car. Generator vs power station: Which one is right for you? "He was referring to vacations. A month later, Knight bought a home a block away in the 15900 block of Manor Square Drive. On the day of Davids death, Clara hired the private investigative firm, Blue Moon Investigations, to follow her husband. The men, she said, planned a trip to the mall for their wives, arranged baby-sitting and disabled Julie's car. Clara Harris responded: "She let him do whatever he wanted to do. David Harris was standing near the open driver's side door of his mistress's vehicle when he was struck. Julie Knight's attorney, Valorie Davenport, said her client was not available for comment. He never picked up the report and the case was closed.". Advocate on your favorite social platforms!Facebook But asked by a defense attorney if she blamed Clara Harris for being angry, she said: "No ma'am, I do not." "The representative who reported to me said it was dark, that they didn't see anything, but that their heads were close together," he said. or redistributed. "Pay attention to Dr. David, maybe get to counseling. Gives a whole new meaning to "oral prophylaxis," huh? "It was quality time. "You didn't consider your dates with David overtime, did you?" Legal Statement. Market data provided by Factset. management. "I told her she needed to protect her marriage -- not to ignore anything out of the ordinary, maybe go to counseling to get help," Sherrill said. }, First published on February 7, 2003 / 8:04 PM. Also known as: Gail Bridges, Gail S Bridges, Gail J Bridges. The woman who was having an affair last summer with convicted murderer Clara Harris' husband said David Harris saved her life the night he lost his _ a year ago Thursday. A week later, Clara Harris tracked down her husband and Bridges at the hotel. Their divorce -- and that of Julie and Chuck Knight, who lived in the adjoining Harbour Park subdivision -- was the talk of those close-knit neighborhoods. Bridges custody hearing closed to public and press. She is a classy woman," she said. display: none; HOUSTON The woman whose affair with her boss prompted his wife to run him down with her Mercedes-Benz fought back tears Tuesday as she testified she believed the marriage was "open" to other sexual partners. Clara Harris' lawyer, George Parnham, said he had requested the personnel file just days before the burglary because it had information that may have been related to the Harris murder trial. She took the stand against his advice, reports CBS News Correspondent Lee Cowan. Another witness, office manager Susan Hanson, testified that Clara Harris also scheduled breast augmentation and liposuction surgery, bought a new wardrobe and began artificially tanning within a day of David Harris admitting his affair on July 17. Twitter Unfortunately, a lot of people think it is. Audubon Club. / AP. Office workers were struck by Bridges' boldness in the office and out, the witnesses said. According to his daughter's story, the "10-year-old daughter had to call 911 to get police help to break up a fight between Julie Knight and Gail (Bridges) at Gail's house.". Then she twice laughingly patted his chest and fumbled with coins in the vehicle's console. When the divorce was final in December 2000, the eldest child went to live with his father in the League City house while the other two went to live with their mother in a neighborhood north of Clear Lake. Clara Harris, 45, said her 44-year-old husband compared the two women July 18 as the couple sat in an airport sports bar, she taking notes on napkins. The families began celebrating holidays together and, at least once, the women vacationed together at Knight's condominium in Colorado. } The suspicions led Chuck Knight to hire a private investigator. A Sept. 29 custody hearing has been set in Brazoria County. Clara found her husband, who was a then-44-year-old orthodontist, with an alleged mistress named Gail Bridges. In court proceedings, it was revealed that David had admitted to his affair even before Clara received a telephone tip that he and Bridges would be meeting that night at the hotel. John Tyler, who was attending a Bible study class at the hotel when the fight broke out, testified that he saw David Harris grab his wife by the face and fling her to the floor. HOUSTON David Harris' mistress testified Tuesday that she believed her lover had an "open marriage" with his wife, Clara Harris, who is standing trial for his death. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. She is currently free on $30,000 bond until the trial. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. "She was frightened a little," Sherrill said. She testified that she returned on July 16 to Lake Jackson Dental Care, where David Harris only spent a day or two a week, because she couldn't stomach witnessing an obvious affair bloom. Whether youre shopping Way Day 2023 or Walmart, theres an al fresco set for you. A Houston jury. The Knight custody case is still before the court and the custody of the two children is yet to be determined. "When the husbands weren't home, (Gail and Julie) were always together. If she is convicted, her lawyers are prepared to lodge a "sudden passion" argument that could result in a sentence far lower than the life maximum under Texas law. }, First published on February 5, 2003 / 9:00 PM. "Other office workers were nice to [Ms. Bridges] but physically ill seeing what was going on in the office but didn't say anything for fear of losing their jobs," said Ms. Sherrill, a defense witness for Clara Harris. Other than that 15 or 20 seconds of her life, she is someone people should look up to. When he landed, it was approximately 30 feet from where he had been standing only seconds before. Clara Harris ran over her husband the night of July 24 after confronting him and Ms. Bridges inside a hotel in suburban Clear Lake. Woman Who Tied Husband up in Bed and Stabbed Him 193 Times in 2003 Is Released from Prison. #inline-recirc-item--id-92ac831c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-92ac831c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { When Harris was notified that her husband and his former receptionist, Gail Bridges, were at the Hilton in Nassau Bay, she confronted the woman in the hotel lobby, pulling her hair and biting. "It scared me to death," he told jurors. I'd rather have a root canal than. She was standing inside her driver's side door when she said she saw Clara Harris churning through the parking lot in the Mercedes. Prosecutors say Harris, 45, intentionally killed her 44-year-old husband July 24 in a suburban Houston hotel parking lot following a scuffle in the lobby with Bridges. They said the men sometimes would call and say "get naked in bed together and we'll be there later. Harris already knew about the affair when she hired Blue Moon Investigations, a private detective agency, in July 2002. "You could almost feel the chemistry between them," Sherrill said. " Save on AeroGarden indoor herb growing kits at Amazon, Create a bonsai tree out of bricks with this $40 LEGO set, Dyson's air purifying headphones have finally arrived, Preorder 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' today, There are a ton of great patio furniture sets on sale right now, Beat the heat with this discounted Lasko tower fan from Amazon, Apple deal: The 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop is under $2,000 on Amazon, New Texas bill would charge electric car drivers $200 annual fee, These 8 Denver-area hikes each offer something unique, Why this museum should be on every Houston kid's must-visit list, Elon Musk describes Starship flight as 'roughly what I expected', Here's how much you have to make to be 'middle class' in Houston. David Harris admitted to the affair on July 17. 1 employee killed, 2 injured at Tennessee Volkswagen plant She did, however, answer, "No" when asked whether she had had sexual intercourse with anyone other than her husband. Join Facebook to connect with Gail Bridges and others you may know. They are the casualties here. It also appears to have been vandalized. PHOTOS: The Clara Harris murder case David Harris had been walking Bridges to her car at the time of the attack. Moments later, the veteran lawyer swooned in a hallway and was taken to a hospital from what his associates said was the combined effects of stress and the flu. His body landed about 65 feet from where he was first hit. Davenport said Bridges has been traumatized by David Harris' death and suffered a concussion in the incident. display: none; She is being taken care of by her mother. David Harris, 44, spent most of his time at Space Center. 11. #inline-recirc-item--id-92ac831c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Bacha said they wanted Gail to drive because her red sport utility vehicle was easy to spot and she drove slower. Gail Bridges, 67. "Steve wore a suit and tie to work every day, and she always dressed to a T.". By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use. The first impact sent David Harris flying 25 feet. She said her paycheck grew as her relationship with David Harris grew closer. David Harris had been walking Bridges to her car at the time of the attack. "I told her she needed to protect her marriage, not to ignore anything out of the ordinary," Ms. Sherrill said. The 2023 NFL Draft runs April 2729 live from Kansas City, Missouri. Gail Bridges, 38, declined to comment. Prosecutors say Harris, 45, intentionally killed her 44-year-old husband July 24 in a suburban Houston hotel parking lot following a scuffle in the lobby with Bridges. According to Clara Harris' notes, David Harris seemed fixated on Bridges' breast size, though he gave his wife higher marks for "much prettier hands and feet" and "prettier eyes" as he. Bridges spoke to News2Houston in an. Clara Harris and Bridges tussled in the lobby, and then Bridges returned to her sport-utility vehicle in the parking lot, she said. Gail Thompson. After graduating in 1981, Gail earned an associate's degree at Lee College in Baytown and then attended the University of Southwest Louisiana and the University of Houston. They didn't say anything for fear of losing their jobs.". A Blue Moon surveillance crew captured Davids murder on videotape, which was used as evidence. Harris, who had been looking for her husband on the night of his death, found him with his mistress in the hotel's lobby as they exited an elevator. "I don't understand why I would," Bridges said, because the marriage was supposed to be open. In his countersuit, Steve Bridges, an insurance agent, accused his wife of cruel treatment and having an affair with her best friend, Julie Ann Knight. 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. View the profiles of people named Gail Bridges. 1 employee killed, 2 injured at Tennessee Volkswagen plant. "The one that I have had the most difficulty reckoning with is the fact that a precious life was lost, and in the midst of all the hype everyone seemed to lose sight of that.". Earlier Monday, chief defense attorney George Parnham failed in his effort to have admitted as evidence photos showing bruises his client had suffered in her July 24 fight with Bridges at the Nassau Bay Hilton. Our culture is bombarded with wrong messages put out by the warped denizens of Follywood that adulterous - and other permissive sexual behavior - is somehow acceptable. Trending News The incident sparked nationwide news attention after several startling facts were brought to light about the case. A week later, Clara Harris tracked down her husband and Bridges at the hotel. Before Bridges, a divorced mother of three, joined the clinic in mid-2001, Harris gave all appearances of being a devoted family man, Sherrill said. Five days after the tragedy, Steve Bridges filed for sole custody of his children. Security guards escorted both women from the hotel--the same place the Harrises were married a decade earlier--following a physical confrontation. David began having an affair with his former receptionist, named Gail Bridges. Gail Bridges also sustained injuries in the confrontation. The location of the killing was also where Clara and David married on Valentine's Day in 1992. "He wanted us to inflame the report a little bit. Hanson testified about comforting the orthodontist's teenage daughter, Lindsey, after she witnessed Bridges provocatively bending over in her father's presence. He and his wife, who had a dental practice in Lake Jackson, owned six dental offices in the Houston area and frequently saw each other's patients. The orthodontist who was run over by his Mercedes-driving wife thought she was overweight, too talkative and addicted to her job, she testified Friday. Julie Knight filed for divorce on April 22, 1999. Nothing could be further from the truth. "Julie and Gail were having horrible rumors spread about them being lesbians," she said. Earlier Monday, a witness described a fight between Clara Harris and Ms. Bridges in the hotel lobby minutes before David Harris' death. After the incident, Harris told reporters, "It was an accident," but police arrested her on murder charges while still at the hotel. On July 24, she found him with Bridges at a suburban hotel and ran him down him in the parking lot. 1," Hanson said. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Five days after the death, Steve Bridges filed a petition in a Galveston County court asking for sole custody of the couple's children -- a 10-year-old daughter and two sons, ages 7 and 12. Earlier Monday, chief defense attorney George Parnham failed in his effort to have admitted as evidence photos showing bruises his client had suffered in her July 24 fight with Bridges at the Nassau Bay Hilton. The location of the killing was also where. First Republic Bank seized by regulators, then sold to JPMorgan Chase Knight, 44, denied saying he was splitting the cost with Steve Bridges. All rights reserved. ", Susan Hanson, a dental clinic executive, noted that "Clara had taken a back seat in his relationship. Gail Bridges, who acknowledged having an affair with David Harris beginning last May, said she assumed Clara Harris knew about the sexual trysts because of her boss' statements. She said her paycheck grew as her relationship with David Harris grew closer. The burglary of Space Center Orthodontics - which was owned by Harris - occurred sometime between Dec. 22 and Dec. 29, Houston police said. During the visit, Johnson said she didn't bring up the anniversary of David Harris' death. Reward offered as manhunt for Texas shooting suspect reaches "dead end" In his custody petition, Steve Bridges says Julie Knight is staying with his ex-wife, that the women's relationship is sometimes violent and that his daughter had to call police to break up a fight. Knight acknowledges dating someone, but says he and his wife were separated. Whether youre shopping Way Day 2023 or Walmart, theres an al fresco set for you. Just another way to get one's kicks. In a lightning-fast barrage of questions, Magness asked whether the witness had seen how Harris looked and behaved when angry. } ABC News chronicled the trial, with Clara Harris admitting that the moment she confronted her husband and later ran him over was the moment she knew everything ended. Gail Bridges was uninjured, except for her reputation. View Details. About a year later, Bacha said, the two women came to her. "She's doing fine," Melissa Johnson said of her friend. As hanky-panky between orthodontist David Harris and his office receptionist became more obvious, other workers fretted that his judgment might be slipping and his dental practice might be swamped by scandal, witnesses testified Monday. "He was just infatuated. Police would not confirm it was Bridges' file that had been stolen; neither would employees of Space Center Orthodontics. Gail Susan Bridges, age 70. Instagram They say the two women saw each other every day, working out together and shopping. Clara Harris, a dentist who took the stand Wednesday in her murder trial, was emotional but composed as she recounted the evening of July 24, when she and her stepdaughter caught orthodontist David Harris and lover Gail Bridges at a suburban hotel where they had met for a tryst. ", "Some women will do a lot of things to please their husbands, but thank God they didn't," Bacha said. On the other hand, David Harris thought his lover, Gail Bridges, was "petite with the perfect fit to sleep with, holding her all night," Clara Harris told jurors at her murder trial. "I understand there were documents that were taken that be-longed to Ms. Bridges. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Market data provided by Factset. The investigators, acting on a tip they received from Mrs. Harris, set up surveillance at the Nassau Bay Hilton to videotape the couple's rendezvous when Mrs. Harris showed up unexpectedly and got into a fight with Bridges in the hotel lobby. Adultery is wrong - not b/c every major religion frowns on it - but b/c there is a price to pay - even if the price is not as drastic as the Harris case. The testimony came at Clara Harris' murder trial. Should we brace ourselves for more scandal? Some who knew her say things changed after Bridges became friends with Knight, who has a daughter, 12, and a son, 8. View Details. She also served on the student council and yearbook staff and participated in poetry and speech activities, the medical career club and the But the faade collapsed in April 1999 when Gail Bridges filed for divorce, citing discord and personality conflicts. display: block; If you look at her whole life, shes led an amazing life. exemption for fair use of copyrighted works. She was humiliated," said Ms. Hanson. "He was very proud of Clara," she recalled. 1 employee killed, 2 injured at Tennessee Volkswagen plant Gail Bridges, who acknowledged having an affair with David Harris beginning last May, said she assumed Clara Harris knew about the sexual trysts because of her boss' statements. Generator vs power station: Which one is right for you? When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The surveillance showed Chuck Knight was seeing a woman, Bacha said. Defense attorney George Parnham, who had recommended that his client refrain from taking the stand, had begun asking his client about the napkin notes Wednesday when the trial broke for lunch.

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