Recently, a dramatic turn of events unfolded during a murder trial in Texas: James Paul Anderson, a 39-year-old former special education teacher who performed as a clown under the stage name “Mr. Jazz,” died after using drugs in the courtroom shortly before being sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of his wife.
The incident occurred on Friday, September 26th, local time, at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center in Houston. According to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Anderson was scheduled to be sentenced that day—he had already been determined to face 35 years in prison for the September 2023 murder of his 34-year-old wife, Victoria Anderson. However, he acted abnormally shortly after arriving in court. Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen confirmed on social media, “Preliminary investigation indicates the defendant actively used drugs while awaiting sentencing and was subsequently transported to the hospital by ambulance.”
On-site details show that after arriving at the courthouse, Anderson briefly spoke with his defense attorney before excusing himself, claiming he needed to be alone. During this time, he was seen spitting items into a nearby trash can. A few minutes later, he began vomiting and went into a critical state. A sheriff’s deputy immediately administered aid but was unable to save his life. Anderson was pronounced dead at 11:05 AM at the hospital.
Looking back at the murder case, in September 2023, Victoria Anderson was found dead at her home in Kingwood with multiple gunshot wounds. According to police records, at the time of the incident, Victoria had called 911, reporting that her husband Anderson was threatening to shoot her, and the emergency dispatcher clearly heard gunshots during the call. Police then arrived at the scene and engaged in a standoff with Anderson that lasted for several hours. When police arrived, Anderson allowed the couple’s 3-year-old son to leave the house but barricaded himself inside with his wife’s body, finally surrendering five hours later.
