DELPHI, Ind. — The transcript of a police interview that took place with Kegan Kline in regards to the Delphi murder investigation is raising new questions about whether or not police might have violated Kline’s rights during the interview.
Kline has admitted to police that he is the man behind the “anthony_shots” online profile, which he used to solicit pornographic images of teenage girls. He’s charged with 30 counts of child porn and solicitation in a separate case in Miami County.
During his talk with Delphi investigators, Kline also admitted to having contact with Libby German, who was one of the two girls found murdered in Delphi in 2017. He even said he sent her Snapchat images after he knew she was dead.
However, also during the interview, Kline asked for a lawyer a couple of times and though he was not denied a lawyer, police kept pushing on with the interview. Jack Crawford is a defense attorney and tells WISH-TV that because the police never directly addressed his request for a lawyer, that might make what he said in the interview inadmissible in court.
“Was he imposed on by the police? Was he afraid? Did he relinquish his rights involuntarily,” Crawford asked. “If it was involuntary, they can’t use that statement against him.”
Crawford said to know for sure a judge needs to see the videotape of the interview.
“I assumed the interview with this suspect was videotaped,” Crawford added. “So, a judge would be able to view his demeanor, his actions, all [of] that to decide if he was voluntarily giving up his right to have a lawyer. A transcript is one thing, but a video of the actual interview would be more important to a judge.”
Former general counsel at the Marion County prosecutor’s office, Mario Massillamany agrees but added that investigators may not be planning to use the interview in court at all.
“As each day goes by, this case gets older and older,” he said. “So, the fact that they were at least able to get that information that he had contact with one of the victims, also the fact that there was another individual using that username, I think is at least helpful to them to try and find other ways to connect the dots.”
Kline has not been arrested or charged in the Delphi murder, nor has anyone else for that matter. Kline will be in a Miami County courtroom in mid-April to face the charges against him in a separate case.
