A white man bent on "purging the Earth of black people" and allegedly stabbed a black man to death in a random sword attack on a Manhattan street told a judge Friday he intended to plead guilty to the crime, but asked that it be put off because he'd taken pain medication.

James Jackson appeared Friday before a judge in New York City. He was expected to plead guilty in the March 20, 2017 death of 66-year-old Timothy Caughman.

But Jackson told the judge he'd broken his foot and wasn't in the right state of mind because of painkillers.

The judge ordered him to come back Jan. 23 — the day his trail is scheduled to start.

Prosecutors say Jackson traveled from Baltimore to New York and stalked several black men before attacking Caughman.

He later told police the slaying had been practice for further assaults on black people.

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In a videotaped confession played at a pretrial hearing in court in the fall, James Jackson told investigators blacks were "inferior" and should be "exterminated." 

Jackson previously plead not guilty to murder as a hate crime and as an act of terrorism in the death of Caughman. His lawyer said at that time he was looking into whether an insanity defense would be appropriate.

Authorities previously said Jackson admitted killing the Caughman at random as part of a plan to kill black men in New York City. Caughman was stooped over a pile of trash when he was attacked from behind with a sword. Caughman, who was remembered as a gentleman and a good neighbor, was alone and collecting bottles for recycling when he was attacked. He staggered, bleeding, into a police station and later died at a hospital.

Jackson is from Baltimore and a veteran who served in Afghanistan. Family friends had said the allegations were out of line with how he was raised, in a tolerant and liberal middle-class family.