Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan Markle, was booked into the Pinellas County Jail in Florida on Tuesday evening, according to TMZ.com, which published his new booking photograph. The image shows Markle in an orange jail jumpsuit, with unkempt gray hair and a beard, staring directly at the camera.
The booking followed his second arrest in under a week. Markle was taken into custody last week on a child pornography charge and released with an ankle monitor as a condition of that release. Prosecutors allege that he removed the device at some point on Tuesday morning, prompting a federal judge to revoke his release and order him returned to custody.
In addition to the revocation, the court has directed Markle to undergo a mental competency evaluation. The resulting report is due November 20, according to TMZ.com.
The case has drawn attention well beyond Florida because of Markle's connection to Meghan Markle, the former actress and member of the British royal family. The two are estranged, and the latest developments add another chapter to a long-running public family rift.
For readers in Pinellas County, the booking means Markle will remain in local custody while the competency evaluation proceeds. The November 20 deadline for the report is expected to shape the next phase of the federal case.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
