Dennis Wagner
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 12, 2003 12:00 AM
The U.S. Marine Corps motto of semper fidelis (always faithful) got tested Wednesday in U.S. District Court when the victim of a grenade attack stood beside his wife even though she is accused of plotting his murder attempt with an adulterous lover.
James "Houston" Glass, who has recovered from shrapnel wounds suffered in the blast last month at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, was silent during the bond hearing and declined comment afterward.
Prosecutors and defense lawyers told Judge Morton Sitver that Houston still loves Wendy Glass, his companion of 14 years.
"He considers their relationship, their marriage, in good standing. . . . He is not afraid of her," said defense attorney David Lee Titterington, as his client sniffled at the defense table. "He stands beside her today."
Prosecutor Sharon Sexton was amazed that someone would stick by a spouse through betrayal and attempted murder: "This husband, this man, this United States Marine, he does not want to believe these things are possible. His forgiveness is not dissimilar from many victims of domestic violence."
That exchange occurred as defense lawyers sought bond for Wendy and prosecutors asked that she remain jailed as a flight risk and a threat to society.
Sitver took those arguments under advisement.
The 33-year-old defendant, manacled and wearing a red jail jumpsuit, said nothing.
According to a federal court records, Wendy and Yuma neighbor Larry A. Framness confessed to plotting a murder-by-grenade of her husband.
Investigators say the motive was a life insurance policy and the defendants' sexual relationship.
In court Wednesday, Sexton spoke of Wendy's "depraved mind" and said it was a miracle that her husband survived. "She has played the part of the dutiful wife, dutiful mother, all the while plotting the murder of her own husband . . . the father of her children," Sexton said.
Framness and Houston are Grade 2 chief warrant officers with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371. A federal indictment says they became neighbors and friends in Yuma before the defendants started a sexual relationship nearly two years ago.
A search warrant affidavit released Wednesday says Wendy confessed that she and Framness tried to get her husband intoxicated last year so they could stage a fatal accident, driving him off a cliff in San Diego County. That plot purportedly failed because Houston did not get drunk enough.
When Framness and Houston were deployed to Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait early this year, the defendants allegedly came up with the grenade plan, using postwar terrorism as a cover.
The plan failed.
An affidavit from Eric Peters of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service says Framness was identified as a suspect immediately and admitted luring Houston to an unoccupied guard shack, where he detonated the explosive.
The affidavit says Wendy confessed a few days later: "(Wendy) Glass states she told Framness not to go through with it. However, Glass states, that same day Framness told her he was going to play a joke on her husband and needed her to call him and wake him. She did call her husband to wake him up, just prior to Framness throwing a grenade at her husband."
Investigators say Framness contacted a Yuma roommate and asked her to delete e-mails from his computer. The search warrant says his roommate instead printed out correspondence and records for authorities.
Before authorities searched Framness' Yuma apartment, the affidavit says, they had found "pornographic" photos of Wendy and other evidence from his belongings at Camp Snake Pit.
Both defendants are charged with conspiracy and face sentences of 30 years to life. Framness is also subject to military court martial and is being held at a Marine Corps brig in Mirimar, Calif.
:nono:
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 12, 2003 12:00 AM
The U.S. Marine Corps motto of semper fidelis (always faithful) got tested Wednesday in U.S. District Court when the victim of a grenade attack stood beside his wife even though she is accused of plotting his murder attempt with an adulterous lover.
James "Houston" Glass, who has recovered from shrapnel wounds suffered in the blast last month at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, was silent during the bond hearing and declined comment afterward.
Prosecutors and defense lawyers told Judge Morton Sitver that Houston still loves Wendy Glass, his companion of 14 years.
"He considers their relationship, their marriage, in good standing. . . . He is not afraid of her," said defense attorney David Lee Titterington, as his client sniffled at the defense table. "He stands beside her today."
Prosecutor Sharon Sexton was amazed that someone would stick by a spouse through betrayal and attempted murder: "This husband, this man, this United States Marine, he does not want to believe these things are possible. His forgiveness is not dissimilar from many victims of domestic violence."
That exchange occurred as defense lawyers sought bond for Wendy and prosecutors asked that she remain jailed as a flight risk and a threat to society.
Sitver took those arguments under advisement.
The 33-year-old defendant, manacled and wearing a red jail jumpsuit, said nothing.
According to a federal court records, Wendy and Yuma neighbor Larry A. Framness confessed to plotting a murder-by-grenade of her husband.
Investigators say the motive was a life insurance policy and the defendants' sexual relationship.
In court Wednesday, Sexton spoke of Wendy's "depraved mind" and said it was a miracle that her husband survived. "She has played the part of the dutiful wife, dutiful mother, all the while plotting the murder of her own husband . . . the father of her children," Sexton said.
Framness and Houston are Grade 2 chief warrant officers with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371. A federal indictment says they became neighbors and friends in Yuma before the defendants started a sexual relationship nearly two years ago.
A search warrant affidavit released Wednesday says Wendy confessed that she and Framness tried to get her husband intoxicated last year so they could stage a fatal accident, driving him off a cliff in San Diego County. That plot purportedly failed because Houston did not get drunk enough.
When Framness and Houston were deployed to Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait early this year, the defendants allegedly came up with the grenade plan, using postwar terrorism as a cover.
The plan failed.
An affidavit from Eric Peters of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service says Framness was identified as a suspect immediately and admitted luring Houston to an unoccupied guard shack, where he detonated the explosive.
The affidavit says Wendy confessed a few days later: "(Wendy) Glass states she told Framness not to go through with it. However, Glass states, that same day Framness told her he was going to play a joke on her husband and needed her to call him and wake him. She did call her husband to wake him up, just prior to Framness throwing a grenade at her husband."
Investigators say Framness contacted a Yuma roommate and asked her to delete e-mails from his computer. The search warrant says his roommate instead printed out correspondence and records for authorities.
Before authorities searched Framness' Yuma apartment, the affidavit says, they had found "pornographic" photos of Wendy and other evidence from his belongings at Camp Snake Pit.
Both defendants are charged with conspiracy and face sentences of 30 years to life. Framness is also subject to military court martial and is being held at a Marine Corps brig in Mirimar, Calif.
:nono:
