David White
A 74-year-old Clarkridge man facing a number of sex charges involving a child has been ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation.
The announcement was made during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Monday.
David Eugene White, Jr., is charged with sexually grooming a child, rape, sexual indecency with a child and second-degree sexual assault.
White turned himself in on June 30 and was released after about an hour on $150,000 bond.
White’s attorney, Ben Burnett of Mountain Home, filed the motions.
In the motions, the court is asked that White be evaluated to determine his fitness to proceed in the case against him, and to determine if he can be held criminally responsible for his acts.
Orders for the examinations were filed late last month.
Burnett indicated White’s defense would be based on mental disease or defect.
Because psychological evaluations have been ordered, all activity in White’s case will cease until reports are received.
It has been taking months for the Arkansas Department of Human Services to get evaluations done and for the court to receive a report on the findings.
From the beginning, much of the information in White’s case has been sealed by the court, including the probable cause affidavit.
Through his attorney, White has entered not guilty pleas to the charges against him.
When the charges were originally filed, a spokesman for the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office indicated the offenses had allegedly occurred over a 10-year period.
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