Ohio Judge Set Bail for Ex- suburban officer with Overturned Wife's Death Conviction

A judge in Ohio set a bail for a former suburban officer after a federal court threw out his 2005 conviction over his wife's slaying in a botched staged burglary.

According to a court filing, a bail at $350,000 on Thursday was set by a judge in Warren County for ex- Springboro Police Lt. Thomas "Jim" Barton, Salon News reported. Barton, 60-year old former officer stayed in county jail on Thursday afternoon. A new court trial was set in September 19 by a judge after Monday hearing.

Prosecutors argued on the court hearing that Barton paid men to act as burglars in order to scare his wife, Vickie and move from their home to Springboro, as well as to have a greater opportunity to be promoted as a police chief. His 2005 conviction was then overturned for "complicity to involuntary manslaughter and to aggravated burglary" by a federal appeals court.

The reinstatement for Barton's convictions has been rejected by the US highest court last month, in which a 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that authorities "improperly withheld evidence" that could have aided in the case, according to Cincinnati.com. Appeals court also doubted the key witness' testimony.

Judge sentenced Barton with up to 50 years of imprisonment, WCPO Cincinnati reported. Barton was charged after a cold-case team conducted an examination on the death of his wife back in the year 1995. The 6th Circuit panel said, the case relied more on the key witness, whom they believed, presented "unsupported, shifting and somewhat fantastical" story during the trial.

On March 18, 2005, convicted to complicity to involuntary manslaughter and to aggravated burglary, former Springboro Police Lt. Thomas "Jim" Barton was given the maximum sentence in the shooting death of his wife in Warren County Court in Lebanon, Ohio. The representing attorney for Barton, wants a judge to set bail for him in southwest Ohio.

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Springboro Police, Lt. Thomas "Jim" Barton, Ohio Judge, Set Bail, Bothched Burglary

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