Judge rules UT stabbing suspect allowed to leave state mental hospital

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The man found not guilty by reason of insanity in a deadly 2017 stabbing on the University of Texas campus will be allowed to leave a state mental hospital and begin receiving outpatient services, Judge Tamara Needles ruled Wednesday afternoon.

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

Cameras were not allowed inside the courtroom. Five of White’s mental health doctors and service providers testified how he was the “gold standard” for mental health treatment and ready to transition to outpatient care at a group home. Prosecutors questioned whether he could follow his treatment process in a less structured environment. More information from testimony is in the second section of this article.

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?” Baird said.

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 be released into.

Psychiatrist says White’s symptoms are in ‘remission’

Jennifer Wright, an attending psychiatrist at the Kerrville State Hospital, said she has been the head of the team treating White since 2022.

She testified that White was “behaviorally sound” on his medication when he entered her care. White’s official diagnosis is schizoaffective disorder bipolar type, and his symptoms include delusional thinking, false belief, hallucinations, mania and depression.

“Those symptoms have been completely remitted,” Wright said, noting that White’s “mental illness cannot be cured.”

Wright testified that White never tried to skip out on his medication and he has been “willing and eager” to work on his recovery. She also explained her belief that a medication plan that is easy to monitor and adjust has been made for White.

At the beginning of his time at the Kerrville facility, White had experienced extreme nightmares related to the stabbing, Wright said.

“The fear knowing he had committed such a tragic offense, I think that’s where these nightmares came from,” Wright said. “He has experienced so much guilt, remorse.”

When prosecutors cross-examined Wright, they opened by asking about the difference in the level of care White would receive in a “group home” he could be released to, compared to the care he is currently receiving at the state hospital. Wright said she has confidence in the doctor who would head White’s outpatient care, but noted White would not be as supervised.

The State addressed the fact that White committed the stabbing shortly after getting released from inpatient care due to a previous mental break.

During cross-examination, Wright said that without a proper medication update, a future outbreak could be possible. But she said she has confidence in White’s ability to keep up with his medication.

She, and other doctors, said White had gone “above and beyond,” held a leadership role among residents at the state hospital, and had frequently gotten permission to leave the grounds under staff supervision.

Genny Moreno, the head of social services at Kerrville State Hospital, said the group home White would be released to would contain the highest level of services available for this kind of outpatient treatment. She said at this time, White would be the second person to enter that group home, so there would be two residents and three staff members. At least one of those staff members, Moreno said, would be at the home and available to residents at all times. The location of the group home was not disclosed.

White testified himself on Wednesday as well. He said he understood why he was there, attested to the success of his treatment program, and promised the judge he would call the right people if he felt any symptoms arise.

Lori Brown was the last person to testify. She pleaded with the judge not to let White out.

Judge Needles said her decision was made in accordance with the law and she did not believe the State provided enough evidence to prove White was not eligible for outpatient care.