LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. — UPDATE: A judge approved a prosecution motion to move Casey White's arraignment to Oct. 11 from Dec. 2. The trial date will be set at a later time.
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More changes may be coming to Casey White's court dates. White is accused of the 2020 murder of Connie Ridgeway and the 2022 killing of former Lauderdale County Corrections officer Vicky White after she helped him escape from jail.
Arraignment for Casey White in the Vicky White case is currently scheduled for Dec. 2, 2022. Prosecutors are asking to change that date to Oct. 11, 2022, when the court is scheduled to hear motions in the Connie Ridgeway. They're also asking for the trial to be scheduled for Dec. 12, 2022, when White is scheduled to go on trial in the Connie Ridgeway case.
One of the motions on the table on Oct. 11 is the request to transfer White from William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer to Cullman County Jail. White's attorneys say that this is to allow them better access to prepare for trial.
In September, Casey White's defense team filed an unopposed motion to transfer White from the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer to Cullman County Jail through the Circuit Court of Lauderdale County. This is related to the Connie Ridgeway case.
In the case of Vicky White, a jailer who helped him escape prison prompting an 11-day manhunt that came to a bloody end in Indiana, Casey White is charges with murder.
Online court documents reveal the defense team filed the unopposed motion ahead of White's trial date for the Connie Ridgeway murder set for December 12th to make him more accessible to his defense team.
The document states that prior to filing the motion, White's attorneys have 'personally spoken' to the presiding Judge Hon. Chris Connolly, and Lauderdale County Sheriff Mike Singleton. The motion reveals they have no opposition to Mr. White's transfer.
Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry reportedly is prepared to hold White at the Cullman County Jail. In a statement he said:
Today, Friday September 9th 2022, news broke about a court filing in which capital murder suspect Casey White’s legal team has requested that he be housed in the Cullman County Detention Center for his upcoming trial in Lauderdale County.
There is a quote attributed to me in the media that states I am “ready and willing to house Mr. White”. This quote is not correct, as it makes it appear that we are eagerly seeking to house Mr. White.
As I told Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton, and the Casey White legal team when we spoke, if the judge in the case ordered Mr. White be housed in the Cullman County Detention Center, my deputies, my command staff and I will make sure Mr. White is well guarded. He will be kept in solitary confinement 23 hours a day, only being allowed 1 hour in the exercise yard while still under guard, as mandated by law.
The safety of the citizens of Cullman County is, and will continue to be my first priority. However, we will also assist our fellow law enforcement officers so that Mr. White, an accused murderer, will have his day in court. Detention Deputies at the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office guard dangerous criminals everyday. If the judge does order Mr. White be housed here, these deputies will continue to show the same professionalism and care toward our citizens to make sure they are protected.
A grand jury indicted Casey for the killing of Vicky White. White was serving a 75-year sentence for attempted murder and other crimes at the time of his escape.
The indictment alleges that during the jailbreak — while committing the crime of escape in the first degree — Casey caused the death of Vicky White, who authorities said shot herself in the head right before they were captured in southern Indiana on May 9.
Investigators believe Casey and Vicky — who are not related — met at the jail where she worked, developed a romantic relationship, and planned an escape.
He was awaiting trial on a murder charge on April 29, when he left the jail with Vicky, the longtime assistant corrections director at the time.
RELATED: Alabama prison escapee was under correctional officer's 'care and custody,' attorneys claim
Video showed her escorting Casey to a patrol car and leaving for a supposed mental evaluation at a courthouse. Officials said no evaluation or hearing was ever scheduled, and the two disappeared.
The pair quickly rose to the top of the most wanted list. The nationwide manhunt lasted 11 days before they were tracked down in Evansville, Indiana.
As police were chasing them, in what would be their final moments of freedom, Vicky called 911 and told dispatchers to call off the chase.
U.S. Marshals ended up running their vehicles into the fugitives' car to stop it. When this happened, Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding said that Vicky shot herself. She was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and later died.
Wedding said Casey showed no remorse over Vicky's death. At the time, authorities said they didn't believe Casey shot Vicky and Vanderburgh County Coroner Steve Lockyear later ruled her death a suicide.
Casey, who was also injured, surrendered without a fight, saying he didn’t kill the woman he called his wife. He, too, was taken to the hospital. However, Wedding said Casey's injuries weren't as serious.