Los Angeles man dies in jail while awaiting trial for killing and dismemberment of wife, her parents
Samuel Bond Haskell, 37, was found dead Saturday in his cell in a downtown Los Angeles jail and died by suicide, a statement from the LA County district attorney said.
He was accused of killing his wife and the mother of his three children Mei Haskell, 37, along with her mother, 64-year-old Yanxiang Wang, and stepfather, 72-year-old Gaoshan Li. Haskell had pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder. His next pretrial hearing had been scheduled for Monday.
Haskell is the son of Emmy-winning television producer Sam Haskell, a former executive at the powerful William Morris talent agency.
An email seeking comment from his attorney and family wasn't immediately answered.
The attorney, Joe Weimortz, told NBC4 that Haskell had been willing to waive a preliminary hearing where evidence would be presented publicly and to waive a jury trial because of the effect it would have on his children. Weimortz said Haskell was 'not afraid of prison, but was afraid of an even larger media spectacle." He added that 'The Haskell family grieves every single life lost in this case.'
District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement that by killing himself, Haskell had escaped justice and denied the victims' relatives a chance to face him. Haskell had faced the possibility of life in prison without the chance of parole if convicted.
In their statement, prosecutors laid out the evidence they intended to present against Haskell.
They allege that he killed the three victims on Nov. 6, 2023, in the house they all shared in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The following day, prosecutors say, he paid day laborers $500 to remove heavy plastic trash bags from the property. After driving away, they discovered body parts in the bags. They returned the bags and the money to Haskell's house and called police, but no one was home and the bags were gone when officers arrived.
Prosecutors said they obtained a video of Haskell putting a black plastic bag into a dumpster, and another of him transferring trash bags between his wife's Tesla and an SUV he had rented.
Later the same day, a man going through a dumpster discovered a beheaded torso later determined to belong to Mei Haskell.
Samuel Haskell, who had been staying at an Airbnb with his children since the killings, was arrested on Nov. 8, 2023.
From the family home, police recovered eight plastic bags whose contents included bloody bedding, towels, a large machine saw, a machete, a plywood board covered in blood and canes belonging to the older victims.
The bodies of Wang and Li have not been found, but bloodstains on a gun and knife found in the rented SUV matched the DNA of all three victims, authorities said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
a day ago
- Mint
Bengaluru Chinnaswamy Stadium declared ‘unsafe' after RCB stampede; Women's WC 2025, IPL 2026 matches in doubt
Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium has been deemed "unsuitable and unsafe for mass gathering" by the Justice John Michael D'Cunha Commission appointed by the Karnataka Government. The statement comes as some big-ticket matches are scheduled to be held at the venue later in the year, including the Women's World Cup matches. The one-man commission was set up by the Karnataka government earlier in the year after a stampede killed 11 fans and injured many others during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL-winning celebrations. "The design and structure of the stadium was unsuitable and unsafe for mass gathering," the commission stated in its report before the Karnataka cabinet, as quoted by news agency PTI. Notably, Chinnaswamy Stadium is scheduled to host the opening match and the final of the ICC Women's World Cup later in the year, but the latest observation and its acceptance by the Karnataka government could have wider implications on those matches. The commission cited issues with Chinnaswamy Stadium's 'design and structure' that make it 'unsuitable and unsafe' for mass gatherings. It further noted that continuing to hold such events could pose 'unacceptable risks to public safety'. "Given these systemic limitations, the commission strongly recommends that stadium authorities consider relocating events that are expected to attract large crowds to venues that are better suited for such large gatherings," the commission noted. In order to avoid such tragic incidents in the future, the commission suggested remedial measures such as 'adequate entry-exit gates for mass entry and exit (ingress and egress), and emergency evacuation plans compliant with international safety norms.' Meanwhile, the panel has also recommended legal action against KSCA chief Raghuram Bhat, ex-secretary A Shankar, and ex-treasurer ES Jairam—the two office-bearers had resigned after the stampede while taking 'moral responsibility' for the incident. It also recommends action against RCB vice-president Rajesh Menon, DNA Entertainment Networks MD T Venkat Vardhan, and VP Sunil Mathur.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- New Indian Express
US condemns French inquiry into social media platform X
WASHINGTON: US officials issued a harsh condemnation Friday of France's criminal investigation into the social network X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, on suspicion of foreign interference. "As part of a criminal investigation, an activist French prosecutor is requesting information on X's proprietary algorithm and has classified X as an 'organized crime group,'" the US State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor wrote on their X account. "Democratic governments should allow all voices to be heard, not silence speech they dislike. The United States will defend the free speech of all Americans against acts of foreign censorship." Paris cybercrime prosecutors called for the police probe July 11 to investigate suspected crimes -- including manipulating and extracting data from automated systems "as part of a criminal gang." The social media company last week denied the allegations, calling them "politically motivated." X also said it had refused to comply with the prosecutor's request to access its recommendation algorithm and real-time data. The investigation follows two January complaints that alleged the X algorithm had been used for foreign interference in French politics. One of the complaints came from Eric Bothorel, an MP from President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party, who complained of "reduced diversity of voices and options" and Musk's "personal interventions" in the platform's management since he took it over. X said it "categorically denies" all allegations and that the probe "is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech." Tesla and SpaceX chief Musk has raised hackles with his forays into European politics, including vocal backing for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of February legislative elections. "Democracy is too fragile to let digital platform owners tell us what to think, who to vote for or even who to hate," Bothorel said after the investigation was announced.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
US condemns French inquiry into social media platform X
US officials issued a harsh condemnation Friday of France's criminal investigation into the social network X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, on suspicion of foreign interference."As part of a criminal investigation, an activist French prosecutor is requesting information on X's proprietary algorithm and has classified X as an 'organized crime group,'" the US State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor wrote on their X account."Democratic governments should allow all voices to be heard, not silence speech they dislike. The United States will defend the free speech of all Americans against acts of foreign censorship."Paris cybercrime prosecutors called for the police probe July 11 to investigate suspected crimes -- including manipulating and extracting data from automated systems "as part of a criminal gang."The social media company last week denied the allegations, calling them "politically motivated."X also said it had refused to comply with the prosecutor's request to access its recommendation algorithm and real-time investigation follows two January complaints that alleged the X algorithm had been used for foreign interference in French of the complaints came from Eric Bothorel, an MP from President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party, who complained of "reduced diversity of voices and options" and Musk's "personal interventions" in the platform's management since he took it over.X said it "categorically denies" all allegations and that the probe "is distorting French law in order to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech."Tesla and SpaceX chief Musk has raised hackles with his forays into European politics, including vocal backing for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of February legislative elections."Democracy is too fragile to let digital platform owners tell us what to think, who to vote for or even who to hate," Bothorel said after the investigation was announced.
