Edward LeClair, who was convicted of child sexual assault, died after consuming a cloudy liquid in court. DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS The 57-year-old man was tried on five counts of sexual abuse and was out on bond until the August 11 verdict.
LeClair reportedly started consuming the drink when Judge Lee Gabriel, standing in for Judge Sherry Shipmanin at the 16th District Court in Denton, read her verdict. As soon as he was convicted of the first of five counts of child sexual assault against a victim, the episodes that occurred in 2016, the convicted pedophile picked up the bottle and drank the liquid from the bottle. Jamie Beck, the Denton County assistant district attorney, told CNN, “He drank a bottle of water that he had on the attorney’s table while these verdicts were being read,” the report says. He went on to say this about the cloudy-looking drink: “Our investigator watched him swallow the water. He suggested to the bailiff that he go check on him. He was the bailiff. In the detention center, he was not conscious.” According to Mike Howard, LeClair’s defense attorney, LeClair “shortly after entering the holding cell, began vomiting and medical services were called,” according to the NY Post.
LeClair, who had been arrested in 2018 and posted a $30,000 bond, received emergency medical care from Denton County Sheriff’s deputies. According to Joe’s quote from LeClair’s legal counsel, “I observed him being carried on the stretcher after his evacuation from EMS. Gray was not a healthy color for him and he was then rushed to the hospital. Beyond that, I have nothing more to add.” In my 27 years, Beck continued: “We’ve had people pass out, have heart attacks and have been shot, but nothing like this has ever happened to us.”
According to CNN, based on preliminary data from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, the defendant was pronounced dead on August 11 at 3:21 pm at Medical City Denton hospital. However, as the cause of death is currently listed as pending, an autopsy is underway.
LeClair, a former Navy mechanic and business recruiter, was charged with five counts of sexual assault against a person between the ages of 14 and 17, according to NBC. He claimed that he was not guilty as charged. Defense attorney Howard responded: “With accusations like this, a defendant is absolutely subject to the possibility of very severe punishment if he is found guilty.”