Attorney General Dustin McDaniel insisted Tuesday in a field-all-questions news conference that the potential release of personal text messages in a Garland County homicide case didn’t prompt his decision to admit to a past affair with Hot Springs lawyer Andi Davis.

McDaniel’s name came up in a court fight between Davis and her former husband over child visitation. McDaniel said he’d decided to clear the air after his name came up, not because of any fear that he’d be further mentioned in records gathered during the investigation of the killing of Maxwell Anderson at Davis’ home last February. No one has been charged in the killing; Davis has reportedly told authorities her brother shot Anderson when he attacked Davis with a golf club.

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Investigators, who initially led Davis from the scene in handcuffs, have copies of Davis’ phone records. They reportedly include dozens of texts between Davis and McDaniel. McDaniel acknowledged as much at the news conference, but said he had no copies of them and wouldn’t release the personal communication if he did. He’s said repeatedly that his interaction with Davis had no connection with any official business of the attorney general’s office.

The phone records could eventually be released, with the rest of the investigative case file, when the case is closed. That would take either a prosecution or a prosecutor’s firm decision not to prosecute. As yet, the investigation remains open (and, thus, any words between McDaniel and Davis remain closed to the public).

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