Judge jails Thomas Markle, father of Meghan, after he cut off his ankle monitor
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- Thomas Markle, estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was ordered jailed after removing an electronic monitoring ankle device days after being charged with possession of child sexual abuse material.
- Markle was arrested in Florida following the seizure of 78 items from storage units in California containing suspected child sexual abuse images.
- A federal judge ruled Markle must remain in custody, citing his unstable housing situation, and ordered a mental competency exam by November 20.
- Markle had a stroke and leg amputation earlier this year, which led to his return to the U.S. from the Philippines, where his son found the abusive material prompting the investigation.
- Meghan expressed deep distress over the allegations and confirmed she distanced herself and her children from Markle to protect them, referencing a 2019 police letter about troubling allegations against him.
