TV INTERVIEW COULD AFFECT UT STABBING CASE
UT stabbing suspect’s interview with Houston station ordered saved.
A jail interview Kendrex White did with a Houston TV station could be admitted into evidence in his murder case in the May 1 stabbing attack at the University of Texas, a Travis County judge ruled this week.
White’s attorneys filed multiple motions Thursday to preserve unedited recordings from the interview, stating they could contain information that is favorable to their client. Presiding Judge Mike Lynch agreed to all of the motions, ordering four parties — TV station KPRC2, the Travis County district attorney’s office, the Travis County Jail, and the video visitation service that reporters used to speak with White — to preserve pertinent records that ultimately could become evidence in the case. The recordings are from May 5 to May 10, according to the filing.
Without a court order, the jail would have likely destroyed the recordings after 30 days, the motion says.
In court records, the attorneys write that White is “falsely charged with murder,” the first public statement they have made in White’s behalf about the charge against him.
In an interview that aired Tuesday in Houston, White told the NBC affiliate, “I had a dream. It showed my face and I thought maybe it was possible I could have done it, but I didn’t remember doing it myself, if that makes any sense.” His remarks echoed those that White made to UT police after his arrest when he said he did not remember the attack but did not deny he could have done it, according to an affidavit.
White, 21, is accused of killing Harrison Brown and stabbing three other UT students. Police have said that they believe White was suffering from mental illness at the time of the attack and that he had recently been admitted into a care facility.
White told the TV station that his attorney put him in touch with a doctor who said he might have epilepsy or schizophrenia.
Court records show White has an initial appearance in the murder case May 19. However, since he has yet to be indicted by a grand jury, he will not be required to show up for it.