AUSTIN, Texas _ The University of Texas student charged with murder in connection to a campus stabbing attack last spring says he was insane at the time of the incident and therefore should receive alternative punishment to prison.
A recent court filing ended months of speculation by revealing that Kendrex White's defense lawyers intend to present evidence for a not guilty by insanity defense _ an argument that is rarely accepted in Travis County.
White told police he did not remember the May 2017 attack that left three students injured and resulted in the death of freshman Harrison Brown. That comment, along with other statements White made after the stabbings, lead some legal experts to say he has a legitimate insanity argument.
The defense must show White did not know right from wrong during the stabbing spree.
The next step in the case is for prosecutors to appoint a psychiatrist to assess White's mental state at the time of the attack. If the psychiatrist determines White was insane, prosecutors will then decide whether to present the case to a jury.
White is due to appear in court on Thursday. A trial date has not been set.
