Samuel Haskell Jr., the son of a prominent Hollywood executive who allegedly killed his in-laws and wife, appeared in a Los Angeles court Friday partially undressed, the New York Post reported.
Haskell was charged with the murders of his wife, Mei Li Haskell, 37, and her parents, Gaoshan Li, 72, and Yanxiang Wang, 64. He stood before a judge in court shirtless and wearing only an anti-suicide smock around his waist, per the New York Post. The attire was apparently the result of the Velcro straps of his prison jumpsuit becoming undone, a court deputy explained, per the Daily Mail.
The arraignment for Haskell was rescheduled to Jan. 12, 2024, following a recent change in his legal representation, per the New York Post. Haskell was previously represented by Beverly Hills defense attorney Bob Schwartz, but Joseph Weimoritz has since been named as his new attorney. Weimoritz did not enter a plea on his client’s behalf and requested a continuance of the hearing, per the outlet.
Hollywood exec’s son Samuel Haskell, accused of killing wife, in-laws, arrives shirtless for court https://t.co/JG7OPAHnTM pic.twitter.com/4T3See7EoB
— New York Post (@nypost) December 9, 2023
Surveillance footage was previously released in which Haskell Jr. was allegedly seen discarding a large object in the dumpsters, reportedly connected to a torso found in a plastic bag. (RELATED: Workers Paid $500 To Move Dead Body Parts Claimed To Be Rocks, Halloween Props: Report)
Haskell was arrested at a shopping mall nearby and is facing charges for the murders of his wife and in-laws, the New York Post reported. If convicted, he faces a life sentence without parole. The case continues to unfold, with the children of the couple currently in the custody of relatives, per the outlet.
The case caught the public’s interest not just with its gruesome details but also due to Haskell’s familial connections, per the New York Post. His father, Sam Haskell III, is a former executive vice president at the William Morris Agency and has represented a host of celebrities, including Dolly Parton, George Clooney and even Prince Edward, brother of King Charles.