Family, Deputy Scuffle After Sentencing For Jamie Barnett

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Posted: 12:57 PM Aug 6, 2008
Last Updated: 5:49 PM Aug 6, 2008

19 comments

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On the day a convicted cop killer learned his fate, emotions ran high outside a Powell County courthouse.

Jamie Barnett appeared in court on Wednesday morning for formal sentencing. He was convicted of wanton murder in the shooting death of Clay City Police Chief Randy Lacy.

Barnett was sentenced to life in prison with parole after 20 years.

The sentencing went smoothly, but that wasn't the case outside the courthouse.

Members of the Barnett family were attempting to see Jamie Barnett off as he was placed in a cruiser to be taken back to jail. Somehow, words were exchanged between family members and the deputy escorting Jamie Barnett. No punches were thrown, but some present called it a scuffle.

Jamie Barnett's bother, Jerry, was arrested. He's been charged with terroristic threatening and disorderly conduct. The threatening charge is a felony and law enforcement officials say they plan to prosecute Barnett on that charge.

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Posted by: Shawn Adams Location: Ft Bliss TX on Sep 19, 2008 at 05:15 PM
I have a place in clay city but im currently mobilized by the KY national guard to Texas. I had some one stay at my house to take care of everything while Im away . As my wife was on her way here to join me he had been in NC visiting familys .she stayed at our house a few days while there our caretaker had some friends over who had no money no car no job typical Powell Co couple and stuff was stolen from house and her car. You know I have been blessed w alot of oppertunity to seeand live in other parts of the country and never have I seen so much whitetrash as there is in that area. Here in Elpaso the population is like 2 million if you count the citys across the border and I feel safe when I go to work that when I come home everything will be there. When im in clay city I dont feel that I worked for PCEMS and I know what goes on . There are more drug problems there than in most big citys and you know if you would leagalize alcohol sales you could use the tax money to hire cops and p

Posted by: Darlene Location: KY on Aug 9, 2008 at 03:15 PM
My 2 cents worth, If the family members were even trying to get close to the prisoner then the cop did nothing wrong. That isn't his visiting hours, that is his prison time and his job is to get that prisoner back to where he belongs! THey have said their goodbyes more then once and who the hell cares about his goodbye...he said Goodbye to everyone when he decided to kill Lacy. I don't feel sorry for them all at all. now the lacy family, I pray for their recovery and I hope that idiot drug using man messes up in his 20 years and losses any good time he can get.

Posted by: Keith on Aug 9, 2008 at 01:00 PM
If my last name was Barnett and I lived in Powell County I'd do the rest of the Commonwealth a favor and drive a few miles down to the Natural Bridge and jump off. Inbreds.

Posted by: Jodi Location: Georgetown on Aug 8, 2008 at 09:37 PM
A good man is dead, no longer able to live and serve as he was committed to. His bereaved family continues to suffer his loss. The low life redneck of a murderer is being taken to lockup for a while so his "kinfolk" go on an inbred rampage because the cops won't pause for a pity party (Did Lacy's family get to say goodbye?)and if the rest of us want to join the beat up pickup truck with confederate plates club over yonder in Powell Co its a good place for youngn's? So I'm all caught up now? I'm with Wanda. Thank GOD all of Kentucky is not like this.

Posted by: Wanda Location: Versailles on Aug 8, 2008 at 03:00 PM
I cant believe people act like this.. we thought only animals act like this.... amazing how life is so different just an hour or so away from here!

Posted by: Kevin Location: Kentucky on Aug 8, 2008 at 12:02 PM
Sounds like more of you high-falutin' city folk need a vacation or a valium. Powell Co is fine but several of you seem to have a superiority complex of some kind so maybe you should go to San Fran or somewhere to seek treatment. I guess where you live there are no low-lifes or anywone who would do anything wrong....geez.

Posted by: knowthedeputy Location: ky on Aug 8, 2008 at 11:18 AM
knowthemboth,, if you know them so well then you know mathews is a smart alec and more than likely he initiated it

Posted by: Rick Location: Georgetown on Aug 8, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Over it in Prestonsburg. I can't believe that you are comparing a speeding ticket to murder. This story proves to me that the entire family is trash, and want all members to have a police record.

Posted by: Over it Location: Prestonsburg on Aug 8, 2008 at 08:48 AM
I can't stand to hear about this anymore, it's like a bad broken record. Randy Lacy is dead (Lord rest his soul), his family will be without him forever, Jamie Barnett has to live with the fact he killed a man, not that he cares at all, but either way. The prison system (well the justice system) is in bad need of an overhaul! No one gets what they truly deserve. If you'd stay out of trouble, trouble wouldn't come calling for you. I have been on this earth for almost 30 years and there a people much younger than me with a criminal record 15 pages long. Yeah I've broken the law, I got a ticket for speeding (yes a minor offense but none the less, against the law) I paid my ticket ( I DID NOT HAVE IT THROWN AWAY BECAUSE I KNEW I WAS GUILTY) and haven't gotten another one since. The law isn't just out for you! Everyone is born the same way, and decisions you make, are ultimately what make you.

Posted by: Teresa Location: Ky on Aug 7, 2008 at 07:26 PM
More like a valium

Posted by: Jerry Location: Owens on Aug 7, 2008 at 05:48 PM
Why is it called life in prison, if you can get out in 20 years? I was just wondering because I am one of those dumb hillbillies Laron was talking about. And yes I live in Powell County, I love it here, it's a wonderful place to raise your kids. Some of us don't like the city life Laron and unlike other TV stations WKYT covers all of us because we are ALL Kentuckians. You cross the state line you are a hillbilly just like us because you are from Kentucky. May I remind you that WKYT also, unlike the others, has a station in Hazard too? Now, about the trial, shame on the jury to let a KNOWN murderer walk after 20 years. We need to be more like Texas, we have the death penalty, we need to USE it. People, he is a known murderer, we have a confession, witnesses, evidence, everything you need to convict and put a person to death and he's going to walk in 20 years. So what he was on drugs. The drugs didn't do it, HE DID.Some people get longer sentences for robbery than he did.Shame Shame Shame

Posted by: someone Location: ky on Aug 7, 2008 at 03:44 PM
i think pc is after the whole family the juror did what they did live with it and shut up about it the only person that judge is god and he will just do that if u dont vote then keep ur 2 cent out of it

Posted by: Dawn Location: Ashland on Aug 7, 2008 at 02:15 PM
Powell County is a bad place. Makes me ashamed to be from Kentucky when you hear about the inbreds doing this and it makes the news

Posted by: Kevin Location: Lex Town on Aug 7, 2008 at 02:09 PM
Kevin, you think Powell County is a good place? You must be one of "them" to be saying that... its a awful place to live, raise a family, or anything else. I will never spend 1 minute of my life in that dump! I will go around it if I have to traveling bro!

Posted by: A Powell Countain Location: Stanton, KY on Aug 7, 2008 at 12:55 PM
Powell County is a great place to live but I do agree that this has been in the news way to much and needs to be put to rest even the people of Powell County are tired of hearing it.

Posted by: Kevin Location: Kentucky on Aug 7, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Hey Laron, I know some people in Powell and it's a good place. Be careful about bringing up body parts. I think you may need a vacation.

Posted by: Laron Location: Lexington on Aug 7, 2008 at 11:45 AM
Im tired of hearing about this story over in the arm-pit of Kentucky! Powell County is the worst place! Cant the news talk about something around here and stop going an hour or more to cover hillbillies fighting. Thats all the know to do, just like the people in the middle east, all they do is fight and kill each other and frankly im tired of this story! He needs to be put to death like he 1st said early on that he didnt want a trial, he wanted the death penalty! put him away! save us our tax dollars of feeding him and bathing him for years to come!

Posted by: Know them both Location: Kentucky on Aug 7, 2008 at 11:07 AM
I know the people involved and let me tell you that the deputy did nothing wrong.

Posted by: Russ Location: Greenup on Aug 7, 2008 at 10:54 AM
sounds like the whole family is wako

Posted by: Me! Location: Ky on Aug 7, 2008 at 09:40 AM
I don't blame the brother if this cop was shoving his wife.Words can lead to violence but if all she was doing was trying to tell him goodbye the cop shouldn't have shoved her.The details are sketchy and don't seem like the facts are all told here.I understand he has a job to do and this is a cop killer they are dealing with. But to shove a lady? Emotions got the best of all of them sounds like to me.If she made the remark to the cop "You'd like to kill him wouldn't you?" Then I don't blame the cop for shoving past her and loading him up.Like I said the details are sketchy and seems like they both had an entirely different story of what was said and done.

Posted by: gale Location: Lancaster on Aug 7, 2008 at 08:09 AM
Barnett family are bad news..He got off to easy. The Lacy family can no longer see their family member except at the gravesite. Barnett can be seen at visiting hours at the jail. I am glad the officer was not hurt during this happening.

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 7, 2008 at 07:48 AM
Personally, I think the brother was provoked by the officers present. If that is the case this charge should not even exist. I'm sure there are some hard feelings for those officers that were close to Mr. Lacy (God rest his soul) but they have a certain duty and image to uphold towards the community. They should not be provoking any Barnett family members...PERIOD.

Posted by: Jeb Location: Ky on Aug 7, 2008 at 07:45 AM
I guess one bad apple does spoil the whole bunch but it has a lot to do with the tree being contaminated. The whole family appears to be rotten.

Posted by: Chad Location: Independence on Aug 6, 2008 at 07:50 PM
Now here is one of many reasons I would never be a Police Officer. Your life is thought of less by society. That Jury had no respect for that Police Chief. That Police Officer was murdered in cold blood and the Jury pretty much said it's ok to kill a Police Officer. Society shows their respect in the way they pay Police Officers and they show it in the court room where Cop Killers get a chance at parol and criminals are given benefit of the doubt when there in court. Society has no right to complain when criminals hurt their families. Good Day!

Posted by: Me Location: around on Aug 6, 2008 at 06:09 PM
There's something about that officer's face that says he's lieing!!!!

Posted by: John Location: Lexington on Aug 6, 2008 at 05:50 PM
Such a travesty of justice. 20 years for murder! I hope the people of Montgomery County (the jurors) can sleep well as this decision is a joke! Also, to all the LEO's in that county; be safe cause if you are not your killer or the person that assaults you will basically walk if tried in Mt. Sterling as long as they are under the influence.

Posted by: Jay Location: Georgetown on Aug 6, 2008 at 04:01 PM
Maybe Justice will do it's job and he can join his brother in prison.

Posted by: GINGER Location: LEX on Aug 6, 2008 at 01:41 PM
Frankly Im tired of hearing about this story!!!!

Posted by: Gail Location: Clay City on Aug 6, 2008 at 01:29 PM
Should Lobbyist be discontinued?

Posted by: Gail Location: Clay City on Aug 6, 2008 at 01:18 PM
Should the electorate system be discontinued?

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