Hearing to determine if UT stabbing suspect can leave mental hospital

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Attorneys for a man found not guilty by reason of insanity in a deadly 2017 stabbing on UT’s campus will present their case Wednesday, arguing he has rehabilitated enough to leave a state mental hospital, and instead begin receiving outpatient services.

The stabbing happened outside of UT’s Gregory Gym. Freshman Harrison Brown died and three others were injured.

Police arrested Kendrex White on murder and aggravated assault charges. At a hearing about a year after the attack, a judge accepted White’s plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, and both the State and Defense signed off on it, according to previous KXAN reporting.

“I will say this, a determination of not guilty by reason of insanity, those findings themselves are very, very rare,” said retired judge Charlie Baird.

He explained that Wednesday’s hearing should primarily consist of White’s doctors and other mental health experts testifying.

“Is he stable? Is he good about taking his medication? Are his violent tendencies – have they been suppressed and at bay so if he is in fact released from Kerrville, will the community be safe?” he said.

Victim Harrison Brown’s mother Lori and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office oppose White’s release. In Texas, when someone is found not guilty by reason of insanity, they will not be tried again on the original crime. This is different from a case where someone is found incompetent to stand trial, rehabilitates, and then goes through the criminal justice process. While White’s attorney said the courts will still monitor his outpatient care, he will not face a jury again.

“Although I have a place for him being sick, that doesn’t change the fact that I lost my son in a horribly violent way,” Lori said.

White’s attorney does not have a comment at this time, but explained that the courts would still monitor him during his outpatient treatment.

“Harrison’s absence is a wound that never heals. His light, his music, his dreams—all stolen in an instant. The pain Lori carries is one no parent should ever endure,” said Joell McNew, the president of SafeHorns, a group of UT parents and community members who advocate for student safety.

It is unclear at this point which county White would potentially get released into.

KXAN will update this story throughout Wednesday’s court proceedings.