Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
RAIFORD, FLORIDA: A death row inmate in Florida is set to face lethal injection on Thursday, August 3, after being convicted of murdering two Space Coast women, including his wife. James Barnes' scheduled death will mark Florida's fifth execution in the past six months.
Who is James Barnes?
The gruesome tale of James Barnes', 61, criminal past began in 1997 when Brevard County Sheriff's Office investigators discovered the body of his wife, Linda, a 44-year-old medical assistant, in the couple's home at the Woodland Oaks subdivision off Eber Boulevard in unincorporated West Melbourne. Barnes was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree murder, leading to a life sentence in 1998.
However, the case took a chilling turn in 2005 when Barnes, still incarcerated, requested an interview with Assistant State Attorney Michael Hunt. In the prison interview, videotaped by a Melbourne detective, Barnes confessed to the 1988 murder of Patricia "Patsy" Miller, a 41-year-old Melbourne nurse. His account described a horrifying sequence of events, including rape, strangulation, a fatal blow to the head with a hammer, and setting her bed on fire to eliminate evidence. When asked if he knew Miller, Barnes replied, "No, I didn't." In 2006, Barnes pleaded guilty to first-degree premeditated murder in Miller's death, along with two counts of sexual battery, armed burglary, and arson. He was sentenced to death for the "senseless, brutal, and tortuous killing of Patricia Miller in her home" in 2007.
'I am prepared for execution'
Governor Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant for Barnes' execution on June 22. In response, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter to DeSantis last week, requesting a stay and the commutation of Barnes' death sentence to life imprisonment without parole. "Mr. Barnes’ willing acceptance of death, the punishment put in place by the justice system, does not absolve the state from bringing it about. Simply put, no one should be executed in our modern penal system, even if they willingly accept it," the letter stated. "The alternative punishment of life in prison without parole is a severe penalty that still provides closure to victims and protects society. It is more humane and ceases to perpetuate the cycle of violence that began by the sufferings inflicted on him in his youth, which included physical and sexual abuse," it added. However, despite the plea from the Catholic Bishops, Barnes expressed his desire to proceed with his execution without further delays. He fired his attorneys and dismissed all legal proceedings, stating, "I am prepared for execution. Don't drag this out," during a June 27 case-management conference.
Mental health and criminal history of James Barnes
An expert in forensic psychology previously testified that Barnes was a psychopath with "an extreme mental disorder," attributed to a violent upbringing without familial support, cocaine dependency, and antisocial personality disorder. However, Assistant Attorney General Patrick Bobek argued that Barnes has been found competent in past evaluations and that he does not have a mental illness. Bobek emphasized that Barnes has a comprehensive understanding of the legal process he faces. Moreover, Barnes' criminal history dates back to the 1970s, and prior to his arrest for his wife's murder, he amassed convictions for burglary, grand theft, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, violation of state probation, resisting arrest, battery domestic violence, and trafficking in stolen property.
As the convict's execution draws near, emotions are running high. Barnes' older sister, Beth Catron of Grant-Valkaria, expressed her family's relief. "Our family is glad the nightmare will soon be over, and maybe we'll be able to sleep in peace," she told Florida Today. Barnes' execution will take place at the Florida State Prison in Raiford, marking a somber chapter in the state's legal history.
