Though a jury cleared him of murder charges last May stemming from the 1966 shooting of police officer Walter Barclay — who died 41 years later — William Barnes received word Thursday morning that the state refused to grant him parole.
State Board of Probation and Parole spokesman Leo Dunn said Barnes, who turns 75 later this month, needs to “complete additional institutional programs, [and has] a negative recommendation from the Department of Corrections and prior unsatisfactory supervision history.”
He will be eligible for review “in or after” August, at which point he’ll have to complete a “violence prevention” program, have a favorable recommendation from Corrections and maintain a clean conduct record,” Dunn said, reading from the Parole Board decision.
“I’m just so hurt for my brother,” said Barnes’ brother, James Barnes. “He’s turned his life around for decades now. It’s so unfair.”
Barnes served time for the shooting, but was re-arrested on homicide charges upon Barclay’s death while working at a Shop Rite in Roxborough. He faced technical parole violations because he had a cell phone and car keys in his possession. His attorney, Sam Silver, said the phone was necessary in case of serious health incidents, like a heart attack Barnes suffered in 2006.
