A Houston attorney, Mason Herring, aged 39, received a 180-day jail sentence and 10 years of probation after admitting to drugging his wife’s drinks in an attempt to cause an abortion.
He pleaded guilty to charges of injury to a child and assault of a pregnant person, initially facing a felony assault charge related to inducing abortion.
Despite filing for divorce, Catherine Herring expressed dissatisfaction with the length of the jail sentence in court. She disclosed that their third child, a 1-year-old daughter, was born approximately 10 weeks premature, facing developmental delays and undergoing therapy eight times a week.
“I do not believe that 180 days is justice for attempting to kill your child seven separate times,” Catherine Herring stated.
Catherine Herring reported to authorities that in March 2022, her husband started advising her on staying hydrated and offering water. After drinking from a cloudy cup, she fell severely ill. Her husband suggested the cloudiness could be due to a dirty cup or water pipes.
Growing suspicious, Catherine refused subsequent drinks from her husband. Later, she discovered drug packaging in the trash containing misoprostol, a medication for inducing abortion.
Providing police with videos from hidden cameras at her home, where her husband no longer lived, Catherine revealed footage of him adding a substance to one of her drinks.
Mason Herring’s lawyer, Dan Codgell, deemed the plea deal and sentence reasonable.
“It’s a sad situation and Mason has accepted his responsibility,” Cogdell stated.
