PASADENA, Texas โ The former Houston police officer accused in a murder-for-hire plot faced a judge Friday for the first time.
Clarence McNatt appeared in court Friday afternoon. The ex-officer is charged with two counts of solicitation of kidnapping with intent to commit sexual assault and one count of solicitation of capital murder after police said he tried to hire someone to sexually assault his wife, Mary McNatt, and a female friend, Marivic Milton, 31, and then murder Milton, after the recent breakup of her marriage.
McNatt, 63, is accused of trying to hire someone to kill his wife's friend.
His attorney said McNatt is overwhelmed by the charges.
"I think he's a little overwhelmed by the whole thing. You know, he's 63 years old. This is not someone who's familiar with the criminal justice system in any way. This is a shock to his system, I'm sure. So I think he's just overwhelmed by the whole thing," attorney Tommy LaFon said.
McNatt remains in jail on a $250,000 bond. If he does bond out of jail, McNatt is not allowed to contact his wife.
He is expected back in court on Jan. 26.
If convicted of the crimes he is charged with, McNatt could spend up to 99 years in prison.