Wednesday, January 14, 2009

More on Paul Devoe

Here's an update on Paul Devoe, from the Austin American-Statesman ("Judge orders Devoe mental records sealed," January 14, 2009):

An Austin judge Tuesday sealed the psychiatric records of murder suspect Paul Devoe, a day after details from the records were aired on television.

On Tuesday, an American-Statesman reporter tried to get copies of psychiatric reports by two physicians who declared Devoe mentally incompetent to stand trial. Although copies of the reports were in Devoe's case file at the Travis County district clerk's office, the reports were sealed later that evening by presiding Judge Brenda Kennedy. The contents of such case files are public records.

Devoe is accused of shooting to death a man at a Marble Falls bar, four people in a Jonestown house and a woman in Pennsylvania in August 2007 before being arrested in New York. Two doctors, one hired by the prosecution and another by the defense, in December declared Devoe unable to assist in his defense.

The psychiatric reports detailed Devoe's history of mental illness and drug use. They were previously obtained and aired by Fox 7 News Austin on Monday night.

Phone messages to Kennedy's office were not returned Tuesday night.

Joel White, a lawyer on the board of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, said there was "no point" in Kennedy's sealing records after they were disclosed.

"You can't disclose records and try to take them back," said White, who is not involved in the Devoe case. "It's not within the spirit of the law. Once the information is made public, the court can't pretend to take it back with a sealing order."

Normally, White said, a defendant's psychiatric records are sealed until they are used in a trial. Once used in a judicial hearing, they become public record, he said.

Devoe will be sent to a maximum security psychiatric facility in North Texas.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I CANT WAIT TO SEE THIS GUY BURN IN HELL...I CANT BELIVE ANYONE COULD ACTUALLY BELIVE HIM....EVERYONE KNOW THAT HE IS MAKING IT UP, HIS STORY HAS CHANGED SO MUCH, HE IS JUST DOIN WHAT EVER HE CAN SO IT WILL TAKE LONGER FOR THE STATE TO FINALLY TAKE THIS MANS LIFE AND IF HE IS INSAIN THEN WHY WOULD OUR STATE KEEP A MAN THATS INSAIN AND A MURDERER....THIS WORLD DOESNT MAKE SINCE ANYMORE.....WE MURDER PEOPLE WHO MURDER OTHER PEOPLE NOT SAYIN ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THAT ESACTUALLY BUT SOMEONE LIKE HIM SHOULDNT HAVE LIVED AS LONG AS HE HAS ALREADY HE NEEDS TO BE KILLED JUST LIKE THEY DID....

Anonymous said...

Had you known this man, you'd know how he is manipulative and, not only used the mental health system, but also learned how to abuse it. Careful study over many years can allow a sociopath the information needed to pretend to be insane in order to escape consequences for vile actions. Paul Devoe is not insane, merely a murdering manipulator who deserves more than one death sentence. The only shame in his sentence is that he can't die for the cold blooded murder of each of his victims. Alas, he has but one life to give...