Hollywood heir Sam Haskell IV, accused of cutting up his wife and parents before his torso was allegedly caught on surveillance video throwing their torso into a trash can, pleaded not guilty in a Los Angeles court on Friday. did.
Haskell, 35, was arrested for the second time after being accused of killing May Haskell, 37, and her parents, Gooshan Li, 72, and Yanshan Wang, 64. He appeared in court naked. Both suspects immigrated to the United States from China to be near the couple's grandchildren. 3 sons.
On Friday, news photographers were instructed to film Haskell from the neck up after a judge rejected a request from his defense for a cover-up. His shirt was taken away over concerns about the risk of self-harm, which his lawyer called “wild speculation”.
This situation is dehumanizing and creates an inaccurate image of Mr. Haskell.
Sam Haskell, the Hollywood heir accused of murdering his wife and her parents, appears shirtless in court.
Sam Haskell will appear in Criminal Court, Division 30, in Los Angeles, California, on Friday, January 12, 2024. Haskell is charged with three counts of murder in the deaths of his wife, May Haskell, and his parents, Gooshan Li and Yanshan Wang. (Splash News on Fox News Digital)
“Mr. Haskell has not expressed any desire to harm himself,” Joe Wymoats, Mr. Haskell's attorney, told FOX News Digital via email after the arraignment.
Despite this, the sheriff's office requires him to wear a self-harm prevention vest.
”[But] Haskell has a chronic illness that prevents him from wearing a vest. The Sheriff's Department does not allow him to appear in court in a shirt, gown, or blanket,” adding, “As a result, he would have to appear in court shirtless.” . This led to rampant speculation in the media. This situation is dehumanizing and creates an inaccurate image of Mr. Haskell. ”
Mae Haskell poses for an October 2014 portrait. Her husband, Sam Haskell, was arrested on suspicion of disappearance and murder after police found the woman's headless torso in a dumpster near her home. (Sam Haskell/Instagram)
Haskell appeared Friday wearing blue prison pants with his wrists chained in front of his waist. When asked by the judge if he understood what was going on, he said little, replying, “Yes, sir.” He looked around the room, occasionally glancing up at the ceiling or raising an eyebrow.
After a homeless person searching a trash can in November discovered a headless torso wrapped in plastic, police allegedly filmed Haskell dropping a heavy garbage bag in broad daylight the previous morning. Surveillance video was recovered.
Sam Haskell will appear in Criminal Court, Division 30, in Los Angeles, California, on Friday, January 12, 2024. Haskell is charged with three counts of murder in the deaths of his wife, May Haskell, and his parents, Gooshan Li and Yanshan Wang. (Splash News on Fox News Digital)
Police visited Haskell's home twice before he was arrested. For the first time, a group of day laborers said they were asked to remove a suspicious bag that was heavy and soaked with water. However, responding officers found no evidence at the scene and left.
The second time they brought in a search warrant and allegedly found blood and other evidence inside. Los Angeles Police Department detective Efren Gutierrez. Police arrested Haskell at a nearby shopping mall.
Sam Haskell, 35, the scion of the Hollywood family known for his Christmas TV movies, is in a Los Angeles jail after police discovered the headless body of a woman in a trash can. His wife and his in-laws are missing. (KTTV, Sam Haskell/Instagram, LAPD)
Hollywood headless torso suspect Sam Haskell was 'paranoid' weeks before body found in dumpster, friend says
Haskell was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and special circumstances charges that would result in increased sentencing if convicted.
He was ordered held without bail and could face up to life in prison without parole.
Left to right: Sam Haskell, Mary Lane Haskell and Mary Donnelly-Haskell attend the Netflix premiere of Dolly Parton's Heartstrings on October 29, 2019 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images, Netflix)
Haskell's parents, Hollywood producer Sam Haskell III and beauty queen and actress Mary Donnelly Haskell, are known for their string of Christmas movies.
Haskell's father was also a former talent agent who represented A-list stars such as George Clooney and Dolly Parton.
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haskell frowned in court When she first appeared in November, a group of May Haskell's friends sat in the gallery, some with handwritten placards that read “It's Miss May” and “Justice for May Today!” Some people had She could also be heard crying during her hearing.
