CBS ordered to release interview
‘Dr. Phil’ video could help with insanity defense, lawyer says.
As lawyers argued Friday in California over the release of unedited interviews between Austin Harrouff and syndicated talk-show host Dr. Phil McGraw, new details about the 2016 fatal stabbings have emerged in court documents.
Harrouff, of Jupiter, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the Aug. 15, 2016, fatal attacks on John Stevens and Michelle Mishcon in the garage of their home along the border of Martin and Palm Beach counties. He remains in the Martin County Jail without bail.
The case made international headlines after authorities revealed Harrouff, 21, was found on top of Stevens as he lay dying, biting his face. In the days after the homicides, both Harrouff and his father, Wade, appeared on the “Dr. Phil” TV show on separate occasions.
Over the course of nearly two years, CBS, which airs the “Dr. Phil” show, and lawyers involved in the Harrouff case have fought over the release of the interview at St. Mary’s Medical Center between Harrouff and McGraw before the teen’s arrest in 2016.
In March 2017, an edited 22-minute version was released to the public after a judge’s ruling. Soon after the release, CBS aired portions of the interview on the “Dr. Phil” show. It was clear from the differences in the
been “nearly severed off.” He had pneumonia, his liver and kidneys did not function properly, and he suffered two recordings — what was issues with his esophagus released to the public and and stomach from ingesting what aired on the show — something that authorities that there was more to the believe was at the scene of interview. the fatal attacks. The docu
In September, Martin ments indicate Harrouff may County Judge Lawrence have swallowed insecticide Mirman ruled the unedited or other “toxic materials.” tapes must be released in In her documents, King their entirety. Since then, says her client could not give CBS has not provided the consent to do the interview full recording, according to and pointed to his father, court filings by West Palm Wade, as the one who set Beach-based attorney Nel- it up. lie King. King is part of HarShe wrote that “Harrouff rouff ’s defense team. was suffering a full-blown
In Fe b ruary, CBS was psychotic episode” during subpoenaed in California the attacks and that “insanto release the interview and ity will be the primary issue has since filed a motion to at trial.” “The interview goes quash the subpoena in Los directly to the heart (and Angeles County. mind) of his defense.”
On May 14, King filed a Additionally, King noted 16-page response opposing that when Mirman ruled the CBS’s petition. recording must be released,
In court Friday, a judge he called the interview held off ruling in the case and “highly relevant” to the case. ordered CBS to provide any In the Sept. 29 ruling in redacted parts of the inter- Martin County, Mirman view for the court to review. wrote:
In the document, King lays “This is not a case involv- out several points supporting questions regarding the ing the release of the video, identity of the perpetrator. It including that her client was is obvious that the question in a “fragile mental state” of criminal culpability will due to being “heavily med- involve complicated quesicated with various psycho- tions relating to the mental active drugs” at the West state of the defendant at the Palm Beach medical center. time of the alleged crimes.”
Those drugs included a In the September hear- mood stabilizer, at least two ing, CBS lawyers said they anti-anxiety medications and would have no issue releastwo antidepressants, docu- ing the video as long as a ments show. watermark was used. It’s
In other court filings, unclear why the company King wrote that on top of is fighting its release again. the drugs, Austin Harrouff King also states in her filhad severe physical inju- ing that the defense team ries. His right thumb had not only has seen the 100 minutes of unedited interview in its entirety, but that CBS showed them the video. It’s unclear why CBS did not provide a copy at that time.
The interviews with Dr. Phil started with Wade Harrouff, a Jupiter dentist. In an hourlong interview aired on Sept. 7, 2016, he apologized for his son’s actions and said the teen suffered a psychological breakdown.
“(Austin) must have some psychological break . ... I’m not trying to excuse what happened. He cared a lot about people. Something went way wrong,” Wade Harrouff said in the interview.
He told The Palm Beach Post in 2016 that he was not paid for the interview. Wade Harrouff gave the interview as his son remained hospitalized.
Dr. Phil interviewed Austin Harrouff in a video-call to his hospital room, just days before his arrest on Oct. 3, 2016.
The segment was called “The frat boy dubbed ‘cannibal killer’ breaks his silence from his hospital bed.” Austin Harrouff was in a fraternity when he went to Florida State University prior to the fatal attacks.
Harrouff told Dr. Phil that he did not remember much from the night of the fatal attacks, but said it was “like a nightmare” and that he “never wanted it to happen.”
The then-19-year-old said he just wanted to apologize to the families.
“I just want them to know I’m so sorry,” he said.