A lawyer representing a Tennessee woman accused of shooting a Tomball man more than 20 years ago is advising his client to fight extradition to Texas.
Attorney Nick Kessler said Harris County sheriff's detectives told him, "It'll go easier on her," if Norma Jean Clark, 62, agreed to come to Texas and stand trial in Harris County for the April 22, 1987, shooting death of Edmund Hugh Clark.
"Just go down to Texas and face a murder charge," Kessler said. "We do protect our citizens here in the state of Tennessee."
Kessler is representing Clark only for the extradition issues and said his intention, at least for now, is that she not return to Texas without a full hearing and a court order.
Sheriff's detectives said the accused woman had been married to Edmund Clark at the time of his death.
Clark was taken into custody Wednesday at her home in Tennessee where she had been living for several years.
Kessler said he briefly spoke to his client at the jail in Franklin County, where she is being held on a fugitive from justice warrant with bail set at $1 million.
Citing attorney-client confidentiality, Kessler declined to comment on the details of the case or his client's demeanor behind bars.
According to the criminal complaint, Norma Jean Clark said she had been sleeping in another room but was awakened by the sound of gunfire. She ran to the home of a neighbor, who notified authorities about what happened.
The criminal complaint said the murder weapon, a .38- caliber revolver, was found on a dresser near where Edmund Clark's body was found with two gunshot wounds.
Deputies at the time said there were no signs of forced entry or signs of disarray, suggesting that the shooting might have been part of a botched burglary. The home's alarm system had not been activated or tampered with, according to the criminal complaint.
The case remained unsolved until last year when Harris County cold case detectives took another look and eventually sought the murder charge against Norma Jean Clark.
Kessler said he doesn't know why a suspect was not charged immediately after Edmund Clark was fatally shot.
"Were there some problems with the evidence initially, 25 years ago? What's different now?" Kessler said.
Sheriff's officials plan to release additional information about the case Monday after their detectives return from Tennessee.
Kessler said an initial hearing about his client is scheduled for Thursday.
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