“Casey wanted to die,” Former attorney provides unique perspective on escaped inmate, Casey White

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - An attorney who used to represent escaped inmate Casey White is sharing some insight into White’s personality and time behind bars.

Attorney Dale Bryant handled Casey White’s appeals for the 2015 incident that got him arrested in Limestone County. Bryant said that Casey had the trust of the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and was made a trustee in the Limestone County Jail.

“Casey suffers from a mental illness,” Bryant said. “... When he’s on medication and in a supervised environment... he’s a decent person. When he gets out of incarceration, he is unable to stay on his medication and he even self medicates by smoking methamphetamine or taking other illegal substances.”

Bryant said that he fears the current situation with Casey White’s disappearance could end badly based on how Casey acted when he was arrested in 2015.

“Casey wanted to die,” Bryant said about Casey’s arrest in 2015. “He was trying to get the officers to shoot him and that is kind of my fear, how this situation is going to end. Except for this time, I’m afraid that Casey may try to shoot them [police officers] to try and get them to shoot him. I want to say in his interview after his arrest and in my conversations with him, he wanted to die that day.”

Bryant said that Casey has even admitted that he cannot function in the real world.

“He can’t function in the real world because he can’t get his medication and he doesn’t do well free,” Bryant said. “That is a little concerning when you talk to someone and they say, ‘I can’t function outside of an incarcerated facility’.”

“Just his size alone,” Bryant added. “I’m 6-foot-3, 220 pounds and he makes me feel small.”

Investigators have reported that Vicky White had phone contact with Casey White while he was at the Donaldson prison. Investigators also confirmed, after being told by inmates at the Lauderdale County Detention Center, that Vicky and Casey had a “special relationship”.

Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said this relationship wasn’t physical and Vicky made sure that Casey had enough food and other items.

However, Bryant said that Casey never spoke about the former corrections officer.

“When someone asked me before, I was not shocked that he escaped,” Bryant said. “I was shocked by who he escaped with. I had never heard of her before.”

Bryant said that Casey hated Donaldson prison and wanted Bryant to have him transferred to Lauderdale County.

“Casey told me several times that he hated being in Donaldson prison,” Bryant said. “... He just wanted out of Donaldson prison. I’m not saying he didn’t commit the murder of Ms. [Connie] Ridgeway, but I’m saying the reason he confessed to the murder was to get out of Donaldson prison.”

Investigators revealed that Vicky and Casey may have been planning this escape for over a year. However, Bryant said that he was shocked by the sophistication of the escape because it doesn’t seem like something Casey could do.

“I wouldn’t say he was slow, but I wouldn’t say he was very quick with it,” Bryant said. “That’s another reason why it shocked me the sophistication of this escape because it doesn’t seem like something Casey would’ve been able to pull off. Casey is more of a spur of the moment guy.”

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