SEBASTIAN COUNTY, Ark. — A Sebastian County man has pleaded guilty and been sentenced after breaking into someone's home and shooting them in 2023.
James Vincent Barton was arrested and charged with attempted murder and aggravated residential burglary in September 2023. He pleaded not guilty shortly after.
Sebastian County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) deputies say that while responding to a reported shooting, they found Barton helping a man control bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds to his arms. The man was taken to a hospital, and said he woke up in pain and witnessed Barton “standing at the foot of his bed holding a pistol.”
Court documents say that Barton told deputies that he took a gun to the victim's residence and emptied the firearm's magazine into the bed where the victim was sleeping.
When asked his motive, Barton told deputies that he shot the victim because he and his parents are "bad people," according to court documents.
Barton was originally scheduled to go to trial on Aug. 29, 2024. However, he took a plea agreement and changed his plea to guilty in July.
Barton has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, with an additional 30 years suspended.
Despite the case not going to trial, the victim of the shooting submitted a statement detailing the effects the crime had on him.
"Being shot in my sleep is something that no one should ever endure and there will never be any justification for this level of malice. I was a friend to James when others, even family, had abandoned and betrayed him. He is unfit for a civilized society and must be incarcerated for the safety of the public and to return peace to Fort Smith," the victim's statement said.
The victim stated that he has endured "multiple complex surgeries" since the incident and still awaits more.
"My left arm is more metal than bone now," the victim said. "The holes and scars I now carry will never fully recover."
Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.
