Thomas Markle detained after allegedly cutting off ankle monitor

Thomas Wayne Markle, 82, the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was ordered detained Tuesday after federal prosecutors alleged he cut off his court-ordered electronic ankle monitor at 1:45 a.m. ET while on home detention. Prosecutors moved to revoke his release, saying he violated his pretrial conditions, according to filings and public statements reported by NBC News and the Associated Press via CNN.

He was taken into custody and appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lindsay S. Griffin in Tampa, who denied bond, revoked his pretrial release, and ordered him detained pending trial, the BBC and AP via CNN reported. In a written order, Griffin found “no condition or combination of conditions would reasonably assure the safety of any other person or the community and the defendant’s appearance in court,” citing a lack of suitable housing she described as “untenable,” per ABC News and the BBC. She also ordered a medical evaluation and said he “must receive all necessary and prescribed medication unless discontinued by a physician,” the BBC reported. An attorney listed in court records did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday, according to NBC News.

Markle has denied the underlying allegations, calling them “sick lies,” and told the Daily Mail he had “never downloaded anything like that” in his life, as reported by NBC News and CBS News Miami. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles emphasized the presumption of innocence: “A criminal complaint merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.” (USAO)

Related: Met Police reviews handling of Thomas Markle letter; no watchdog referral announced

Why was Thomas Markle taken back into custody?

According to prosecutors, Markle cut off his electronic location-monitoring device at 1:45 a.m. ET on Tuesday while under home detention. He was taken into custody and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lindsay S. Griffin in Tampa. Griffin ruled that he had violated the conditions of his pretrial release and ordered him detained pending trial. In her written order, she found that, given his lack of suitable housing, “no condition or combination of conditions” would reasonably ensure community safety and his appearance in court. (NBC News; AP via CNN; BBC; ABC News)

What is Thomas Markle charged with?

He is charged by a federal criminal complaint in the Central District of California with one count of possession of child pornography, the federal legal term for what NewsCubby calls child sexual abuse material. Prosecutors say the case centers on two Los Angeles-area storage units he rented since 2008, where investigators executing court-authorized searches seized about 78 items, including slides, film negatives, and books. A witness identified Markle in some images, and mail and an international driver’s permit in his name were found in one unit, according to the complaint. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says the complaint contains allegations only, and the defendant is presumed innocent. If convicted, the charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years. (USAO; NBC News)

What has Markle said?

Markle has denied the allegations, calling them “sick lies,” and reportedly said, “I have never downloaded anything like that in my life,” according to NBC and CBS reporting. An attorney listed in court records did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. (NBC News; CBS News Miami; AP via CNN)

What did the judge say about his health and competency?

Judge Griffin ordered a medical evaluation and directed that Markle receive all necessary and prescribed medication unless discontinued by a physician, per the BBC. Earlier, at his initial appearance Friday in Tampa, Griffin ordered a psychiatric/competency evaluation, citing his health condition, advanced age, and lack of recall, with a report due by Nov. 20, 2026, according to ABC, CBS, and AP. (BBC; ABC News; CBS News Miami; AP via CNN)

What has Meghan said, and what is the London police review?

A spokesperson for Meghan and Prince Harry declined to comment on last week’s arrest. In October, Meghan said she was “deeply distressed” by the allegations and that keeping distance and not allowing him contact with her two children was to protect them, according to the AP and BBC. Separately, London’s Metropolitan Police said it received a January 2019 letter at its Protection Command containing claims of alleged offending outside the UK. The Met says it passed the letter to the Sussexes’ office and did not share it with other law enforcement agencies. The force has now voluntarily referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and the IOPC says it will independently investigate the decision not to inform other agencies. (AP via CNN; BBC; Met Police; The Guardian)

What we don't know yet

• Why the monitoring device was removed; prosecutors have said they do not know.
• Where he will be held before trial; authorities have not announced a facility.
• The outcome of his competency evaluation; the report is due Nov. 20, 2026.
• Whether he will enter a plea; no plea has been reported to date.
• Any trial date; none has been reported.

What's next

• A competency/psychiatric report is due Nov. 20, 2026, under Judge Griffin’s order. (ABC News; CBS News Miami)
• Authorities have not disclosed his immediate custody location; the AP reports a transfer to California, where the case was filed, is likely. (AP via CNN)
• The maximum penalty is 20 years if convicted; the complaint contains allegations only, and he is presumed innocent. (USAO)

*Want more? Explore today's headlines on NewsCubby and join My Day free to make NewsCubby part of your day.*

*ARCHIVE PHOTO: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, March 8, 2024. She is not accused of any wrongdoing. Photo: Fuzheado / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 (cropped).*

*NewsCubby articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed by humans.*