Former Trigg County Sheriff Jason Barnes has been sentenced to three years’ probation more than a year after he resigned from his job following an indictment by the Trigg County
Defense attorneys are still waiting for a forensic report in the case of Pembroke triple-murder suspect Christian “Kit” Martin.
A laptop computer that an investigator used to obtain cell phone evidence was reportedly corrupted and sent to the FBI Crime Lab in Quantico, Virginia. The full report concerning the computer is expected to be finished by the end of the business day on Friday.
Tom Griffiths, one of three attorneys for Martin, said the report should have been completed sooner.
Additionally, Griffiths requested an evidentiary hearing for a shell casing found at the South Main Street home, where Calvin Phillips was found dead. Griffiths said he believes the manner in which the shell casing was found shows a hole in the evidence chain of custody.
A pretrial date for the case was also set for the afternoon of Wednesday, October 13.
Barnes resigned as Trigg County Sheriff midway through his first term on August 31, 2020, after being indicted by a Trigg County grand jury on one count of third-degree unlawful transaction with a minor and one count of tampering with a witness.
A joint investigation by Kentucky State Police, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky allege Barnes provided alcohol to a person under 21 in February 2020 while sheriff. They also add during the investigation, he knowingly practiced “deceit with the intent to affect the testimony of a potential witness.”
Jason Barnes
Another pretrial conference will be held next month in the case against former Trigg County Sheriff Jason Barnes.
Barnes’ attorney David Rye appeared virtually before Circuit Court Judge C.A. Woodall Wednesday afternoon. Rye told Judge Woodall they have been in communication with Special Prosecutor Alex Garcia and are going over some things in the case, including a federal lawsuit filed in December.
Judge Woodall set the next pretrial conference for Wednesday afternoon, February 10.
In August 2020, Barnes was indicted by a Trigg County grand jury on one count of third-degree unlawful transaction with a minor and one count of tampering with a witness.