Farmer called Barefield’s actions “intolerable” and said they violated “the safety and security of this county and the people sworn to protect it” as she sentenced him to a combined 45-year prison term that covers both pending cases.
Advertisement
Jethro died in a shootout at a grocery store in Canton in January after police responded to a burglary alarm. Barefield fired at officers and injured the dog with four gunshot wounds. Barefield also exchanged gunfire with two officers. He should have gotten some type of punishment but 34 years in prison away from his family, his life.
Barefield reportedly took the plea deal after his public defenders assured him it would be hard to find an impartial jury after Jethro’s death was made public in the media, the Cleveland Scene reported.
Jethro’s partner, Ryan Davis, said he is beginning to heal after Jethro’s death.
‘I’m here because he did what he did.
Kelontre Barefield plead guilty in Stark County Common Pleas Court. One letter from a young girl sending her allowance money for bulletproof vests went viral: “God bless you and the dogs”, she wrote. In the letter, an 11-year-old girl named Allison tells Davis, “I sorry about Jethro”.
Advertisement
Jethro was killed in January after suffering multiple gunshot wounds while responding to a burglary at a grocery store, according to Officer Eric Stanbro, head trainer of Canton PD’s K-9 unit. After projecting a slideshow of Jethro’s service, the department-which raised over US$30,000 for his medical bills and new bulletproof vests-declared that the city would celebrate every anniversary of his death.
