infuckingcredible...

[starvingeyes]

and some people say there is no bias towards mothers in the custody courts of the united states. ha.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mp ... an/2101903

Harris to share in sons' custody
Grandparents win visitation rights
By RUTH RENDON
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
RESOURCES

Clara Harris was found guilty of murdering her husband by running over him in her Mercedes again and again.

A judge on Monday granted Clara Harris, serving a 20-year sentence for running down her husband with her Mercedes Benz, joint custody of her 5-year-old twin sons. The boys' paternal grandparents were given visitation rights.

The agreement approved by state District Judge K. Randall Hufstetler in Brazoria County names Harris as well as her former neighbors, Pat and Ana Jones, as joint managing conservators of Brian and Bradley Harris.

The boys' grandparents, Gerald and Mildred Harris, will have visitation rights every other weekend, for extended periods in the summer and on alternating holidays, said attorney Lloyd Stansberry, who represented the Joneses.

"I am very happy the way it ended," said Ana Jones, 51, a registered nurse who is now a stay-at-home mom. Her husband, Pat, 51, is an anesthesiologist.

"We've all come to an agreement in the best interest of Brian and Bradley," Ana Jones added. "Because of all this, we both have gotten a bigger family."

Gerald Harris, 73, and Mildred Harris, 70, could not be reached for comment at their Pearland home.

Monday's agreement lays to rest a battle over who should care for the Harris boys while their mother is incarcerated. The grandparents, who initially took care of the boys when Clara Harris was convicted in February of murdering her husband, had wanted to raise the twins.

The custody ruling for Clara Harris means she and the Joneses will have a say on the choice of schools, extracurricular activities and medical treatment for the boys.

Clara Harris and her in-laws originally had joint custody of the boys, but Hufstetler voided the agreement in May after finding flaws in it. The parties had failed to notify the boys' court-appointed attorney in their father's estate case.

Since then, Clara Harris had urged the court to grant her and the Joneses joint custody of the children.

A trial to determine custody of the children had been set for Sept. 29.

"I think everybody recognized that the trial was going to be really hard on the kids in creating a legacy for them," Stansberry said as to why the grandparents, Harris and the Joneses came to an agreement.

"All the nasty stuff that comes out in litigation is not anything anyone wanted to go through. In the last four months that we've had these temporary orders, the Joneses and Harrises have seen that they can work with one another."

During the summer, the boys spent half their time with the grandparents and the other half with the Joneses.

Clara Harris, 45, was convicted by a Harris County jury of running over her husband, David, with her luxury sedan after finding him with his mistress at a Nassau Bay hotel in July 2002.

Under the agreement, which takes effect immediately, the boys will live with the Joneses and their 4-year-old twin sons in Friendswood's Polly Ranch subdivision. The Harris boys turned 5 on Sept. 4.

Pam Hoerster, a court-appointed attorney who represented the boys, said she agreed with the living arrangements.

"Just seeing the kids, they seem like they are really happy. They love their grandparents. They love their mom and they love Ana and Pat. They love the family atmosphere at the Joneses' house with their two boys," she said. "It's a good environment. It's good that they're staying in touch under this agreement with their father's family."

Monday's hearing, which Clara Harris attended, proved to be emotional, Stansberry said.

"There was a lot of hugging and tears," he said.

Clara Harris, who has been in the Brazoria County Jail outside of Angleton while the custody matter was resolved, is appealing her conviction. She soon will be moved back to a women's prison in Gatesville.

[Dabekk]

[gavtodd71]

[happening fish]

they granted joint custody to a mother who murdered the other parent and is in jail for 20 years? someone explain to me exactly how that works...

[Sufjan Stevens]

[Bandalero]

the grandparents are in their 70's. i think that is the only thing the judge saw in this case.

[Sufjan Stevens]

[sYdeshowFreek]

[closeyoureyes]

[gavtodd71]

[doug]

[Bandalero]

i know, the grandparents aren't going to live to be 90 to take care of the kids. the judge doesn't have a choice.

[nelison]

I agree, they're too old to take full care of the children. That's the main thing that I too noticed...

[happening fish]

but see, the mother is in JAIL.

[Bandalero]

[Narbus]

[happening fish]

[Bandalero]

well, let's see, any aunts, uncles, cousins, comming foward to give these kids a home? this judge is clearly a conservative. he wants these kids to have as many family members as possible in their life. more than likely the neighbors are godparents. and the mother isn't dead but she might as well be.

[doug]

granted she doesn't seem like the best role model, but think of her kids. it's important for them to have parents. by the time the boys are old enough to go on dates their grandparents will be dead.

somebody's gotta be their family. might as well be the mother. maybe exposure to her kids will help straighten her crazy ass out.

[starvingeyes]