Report: Martin MacNeill attempts suicide at Utah county jail

PROVO, Utah - Jail officials say they intervened in a suicide attempt by Martin MacNeill, the Utah doctor recently convicted of leaving his heavily drugged wife to die in a bathtub. MacNeill, 57,  was rushed to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center after the suicide attempt around 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

MacNeill was expected to be returned to Utah County Jail on Friday.

Martin MacNeill faces sentencing Jan. 7 on charges of murder and obstruction of justice in the 2007 death of 50-year-old Michele MacNeill. He is also facing a separate trial on Feb. 4 on 6-year-old sexual assault charges. The Associated Press doesn't generally identify victims of sexual assault.

Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon declined to specify how MacNeill was trying to kill himself. However, CNN reports Jeff Robinson, the Utah County Attorney’s Office bureau chief, said MacNeill used a razor to cut his femoral artery, which is very close to the groin.

Officials reportedly said doctors performed surgery to repair his wound.

MacNeill's defense attorney, Randall Spencer, complained he wasn't notified by jailers.