A Houston lawyer faces felony charges for allegedly slipping abortion-inducing drugs into his separated wife’s drinks after learning about her third pregnancy — which he told her “would damage his plans and make him appear to be a jerk.”
Mason Herring, 38, has been indicted by a Harris County grand jury on two felony counts, including assault of a pregnant person, KTRK reported.
The lawyer, founder and managing partner of the Herring Law Firm, also was slapped with a count of “assault – forced induced to have an abortion,” in response to court records.
He and his wife, Catherine Herring, separated earlier this 12 months but had been working on their marriage and were attending counseling when she told him she was pregnant with their third child.
“My understanding is that it wasn’t well-received by (Herring),” Assistant District Attorney Anthony Osso told the news outlet. “That got here out through marriage counseling, in addition to through text messages in a while.”
Herring, who was romantically involved with a co-worker by then, told her the pregnancy “would damage his plans and make him appear to be a jerk,” in response to an affidavit cited by Law and Crime.
On the counselor’s suggestion, the couple spent spring break with their children in West Texas, where Catherine said he “began talking to her about her hydration” and said she needed to drink more.
On March 17, Mason stopped by the home to bring Catherine breakfast and asked if he could bring her some water in bed, Osso said.
“He says, ‘In case you don’t accomplish that, I’m not leaving.’ She thought it was odd. She thought the water was cloudy. She questioned him a little bit bit, but, nonetheless, did drink the water, after which he leaves and takes that cup,” he told KTRK.
Mason allegedly told her the discoloration was the results of the cup or water pipes being dirty.
Catherine then became severely ailing, experiencing cramps and severe bleeding, and ended up in a hospital, in response to Osso, who said doctors couldn’t determine what was mistaken.
But she became suspicious and commenced refusing his other drinks, including three that had “an unknown substance” and a bottle of orange juice with a broken seal, the Washington Post reported.
Catherine arrange a camera in the house, where Mason was now not living.
On April 20, she invited two people over as “witnesses” to Mason’s visit, during which he allegedly tried to provide her a drink although she already had two beverages.
Catherine told investigators that she and her guests saw “an unknown substance” floating within the drink he gave her.
The next day, she also noticed a substance in a drink he brought from a fast-food joint, in response to the affidavit.
“(On April 24), she checks the rubbish cans and finds in the rubbish can a pharmaceutical called Cyrux, which incorporates Misoprostol, which is a drug used to induce abortions,” Osso told KTRK.
Two days later, surveillance video captured Mason putting a powdered substance right into a glass as he prepared one other drink, he said.
Catherine contacted police, who arrested Mason on a warrant on the airport after he arrived from Las Vegas. He was charged with assaulting a pregnant person and assault-force induction to have an abortion.
The second charge got here into play after abortions were outlawed within the Lone Star State. It carries a sentence of two to 10 years behind bars and a wonderful of as much as $10,000.
No less than two of six water samples Catherine saved were shown to incorporate Misoprostol, in response to Osso.
“It’s manipulative. It’s premeditated. What we’re alleging Mr. Herring did, which we consider the evidence supports, is a reasonably heinous act,” he told the station.
“To try this to someone who trusts you, it’s making the most of that trust,” Osso added.
Mason’s attorney Dan Cogdell told KTRK in a press release: “We’re aware that the Grand Jury has returned these charges. That said, we very much sit up for our day in court and are thoroughly convinced that we are going to prevail in a Court of law when our time involves defend these allegations.”
Mason was released on $30,000 bond and is due back in court on Dec. 2.