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Convict Covers Himself In Feces In Attempt To Avoid Sentencing

A convicted armed robber did everything he could to get out of his sentencing Thursday, even stripping naked. But in the end, he was brought to the courtroom on the judge's terms.


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The court took extra measures to make sure Walter Barrett appeared and stayed under control. The judge waited for more than an hour to let corrections officers gag and restrain him after he tried to avoid going to his sentencing by covering himself in his own waste.

More than a dozen deputies were called into the Volusia County jail courtroom Thursday to help secure just one man, 37-year-old Walter Barrett, convicted of a violent home invasion. When Barrett arrived, he was flanked by officers in riot gear because of a morning of disturbing behavior.

A jail supervisor told the judge that Barrett had refused to dress for court and then covered himself with his own waste, even throwing some at corrections officers. He's on his third public defender, having spit on his previous two, once in open court.

"For a guy who's willing to spit on two of his attorneys and do another inappropriate action to another attorney, then cover himself in excrement just to avoid court," said assistant state attorney Dennis Craig.

Barrett was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years, unable to utter a word in court Thursday.

Barrett's attorney tried to argue that he was not competent, but prosecutors argued successfully that the only time he acts out is on days when he's due in a courtroom.
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