Thomas Markle Accused of Cutting Off Ankle Monitor Before Trial

U.S. prosecutors are asking a federal court to send Thomas Markle back into custody after he allegedly cut off his ankle monitor in the middle of the night. Markle is the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. He is not a member of the royal family, and his case is being heard in a U.S. courtroom. Town & Country reported the latest development.

Markle, 82, is awaiting trial on a charge of possessing child sexual abuse material. He was arrested by the FBI, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, in Florida. A judge later released him to house arrest, a court-ordered arrangement that requires a person to stay at home. An ankle monitor is an electronic device that tracks where the wearer is.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, a senior federal prosecutor, said Markle cut off his ankle bracelet at 1:45 a.m. Essayli's office is now asking the court to revoke Markle's release and hold him in detention until his trial. Markle has not been convicted of any crime.

A federal judge has also ordered a psychiatric evaluation. The purpose is to determine whether Markle is mentally fit to stand trial. Competency to stand trial means a defendant can understand the charges against him and help in his own defense. The evaluation is a standard step when a defense or the court raises questions about a defendant's mental state, and it can delay a case while it is completed.

For readers following the Sussex family, the case is separate from the royal household and from the family's life in California. The court will decide whether Markle stays on house arrest, and the evaluation will shape the timing of any trial. Until a judge rules, the allegations about the ankle monitor remain claims made by prosecutors, not findings of the court.