UTICA, N.Y. (AP) — A man accused of stabbing a 17-year-old girl and posting photos of her body online now wants to reverse his guilty plea.
Brandon Clark, 21, admitted in a court in February that he killed Bianca Devins, but on Tuesday at a sentencing hearing in Utica, New York, said he wanted to withdraw his guilty plea, the Observer-Dispatch reported.
Clark is facing charges of second-degree murder and 25 years to life in prison. The Oneida County Court received Clark’s request on June 2, the newspaper reported.
Judge Michael Dwyer pointed to a February court transcript to remind Clark that he had warned him previously that he would not be able to withdraw his plea. Clark replied that he thought it was his right to change his plea until the sentencing hearing, the newspaper reported.
Under New York state law, the court has discretion over whether to allow a defendant to reverse a guilty plea. The judge said he would assign Clark a new attorney and consider whether to allow the change.
“Our family is very upset that he will not take full responsibility for taking Bianca’s life,” said Frank Williams, Devins’ grandfather after the Tuesday hearing.
Clark is accused of killing Devin by cutting her throat after the two returned from a concert in New York City. He posted photographs of her body online.
