By Marie McCain
The Cincinnati Enquirer

UNION TOWNSHIP - A Newport man was ordered jailed in lieu of $1 million bail Monday, accused of fatally stabbing a man and wounding his own wife.

The attack is the first homicide of 2003 in Union Township and Clermont County.

Jeffrey Haney, 31, of the 400 block of East Fifth Street in Newport, faces one count each of murder and felonious assault. He faces a pretrial hearing next month.

He is accused of killing William G. Brittain, 41, of the 4700 block of Beechwood Road in Union Township early Sunday.

Union Township police said that about 1:30 a.m. Sunday inside Mr. Brittain's apartment, Mr. Haney threatened his 24-year-old wife, Robin L. Haney, and then cut her with a knife, wounding her arm and hand.

Mr. Brittain, according to Union Township Police Lt. Mark Griffith, tried to help Mrs. Haney and was stabbed at least two times.

Mr. Haney did not call authorities until shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday, Lt. Griffith said. Both victims were taken to Mercy Hospital Anderson. Mrs. Haney was treated and released, and Mr. Brittain was pronounced dead.

When police arrived, Mr. Haney told them there was a break-in, according to police.

Mr. Haney and Mr. Brittain seemed to know each other well enough that Mr. Brittain had posted bond for the younger man in November.

That same month, Mr. Haney was indicted by a Hamilton County grand jury on charges of forgery and theft for allegedly cashing a counterfeit check for $618.93 at a Fifth-Third Bank on Glenway Avenue in January 2001.

Mr. Haney was released after Mr. Brittain posted 10 percent of a $1,000 bond, according to Hamilton County court records.

Mr. Haney was scheduled to return to Hamilton County common pleas court on those charges Feb. 5.

Lt. Griffith said Union Township averages about one murder a year. But last year, according to officials, there were no homicides reported in Clermont County.

E-mail mmccain@enquirer.com