I came across an interesting story in the news today. A 64-year old ex-policeman has passed away. The cause of death, according to the accusation, was homicide. Now, wait for the interesting part. He died from a gunshot wound he received 41 years ago. That’s right.
It’s not as confusing as it seems. At 23 years old, Walter Barclay was carrying out a burglary investigation on job when in the middle of a gunfight he was shot several times. The gunshots hit his spine, splintering it, and leaving him paralyzed. He obviously survived, but only after an extensive recovery period. What happened then?
41 years later, Barclay developed a urinary tract infection, directly related to his paraplegia, which was directly related to his shooting on that fateful night. Prosecutors are now trying to decide whether or not to charge the shooter, William Barnes, with murder. May seem like a long shot, but they argue there is a direct cause related to the incidents of that night and the complications which led to Mr. Barclay’s death.
The news article made no mention if the shooter is still alive. It will be interesting to see. And it will be interesting to see how this particular case will develop in the future.
Working in our Personal Injury Law Firm in Sacramento, California, we know that there are many complications that will need to be addressed after a spinal cord injury, especially if the injury results in paralysis. It will be interesting to see what the prosecutors decide in this case. And if their answer is to charge Barnes for murder, what impact does that have on other cases of a similar manner? What we know as a legal precedent will be opened.
If you or a loved one have been injured by another person’s misconduct, please call the Law Offices of Moseley Collins for advice.
Until next time…