Marshall Hotel Slaying Inspires Push to Mandate Direct-Dial 911

DALLAS (AP) – Congress is close to finalizing changes to the nation’s emergency dialing system inspired by a girl’s struggle to call 911 as her mother lay dying from stab wounds in a Marshall hotel room. The House and Senate unanimously passed versions of the proposal. Once the final wording is worked out, the measure known as “Kari’s Law” heads to President Donald Trump’s desk. Kari Hunt Dunn (pictured) was killed in 2013 when her estranged husband stormed into her hotel room and stabbed her multiple times while her children watched. One of them, a girl who was 9 at the time, tried to call 911 four times but wasn’t able to get an outside line. Her grandfather, Dunn’s father, pressed Congress to mandate direct-dial 911 on new phone systems that businesses install.