Did police go too far in questioning Kegan Kline? Indy attorneys say maybe
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Did investigators go too far in their questioning of Kegan Kline after he asked for an attorney?
Kegan Kline is the man behind the “anthony_shots” profile, a fake social media account Indiana State Police say they found while investigating the unsolved 2017 murders of Abby Williams and Libby German.
In Aug. 2020, Kline was interviewed by a state police investigator and a sheriff’s deputy after being arrested on more than 30 child porn-related charges.
According to the transcript, Kline admitted using the “anthony_shots” profile to get sexual pictures and videos of underage girls. He also told the interviewers he had contact on social media with Libby German.
The transcript also shows Kline asking for an attorney more than once, but he is never provided with one and the interview continues anyway.
On page 63, Kline first asks for an attorney, saying, “I need a lawyer ’cause I have no clue, what, this is ridiculous.”
An investigator responds, saying, “Are we going to clear this up?”
Kline again asks for a lawyer and says, “I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”
The investigator responds, “You might need to.”
I-Team 8 spoke with two lawyers who say at least one piece of evidence investigators gathered during the interview may not hold up in court.
Criminal defense attorney Jack Crawford says everything Kline said after asking for a lawyer, including the part where he admits talking to Libby German, may not be admissible.
“Was he imposed on by the police? Was he afraid? Did he relinquish his rights involuntarily? If it was involuntary, they can’t use that statement against him. I assumed the interview with this suspect was videotaped,” Crawford said. “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.”
Mario Massillamany, former general council at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, agrees that there is an issue because police did not stop the interview when Kline asked for a lawyer.
Massillamany says some of the evidence gathered by interviewers will be tough to use. However, he says that it may not matter, depending on law enforcement’s goal in the interview.
“As each day goes by, this case gets older and older. 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,” Massillamany said.
Kline has not been charged in Abby and Libby’s murders. In fact, no one has been arrested in the case.
Kline is due in court April 14.