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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS ADVISORY
May 30, 2018
Steve Marshall
For More Information, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1

ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVE MARSHALL ANNOUNCES COURT
OF CRIMINAL APPEALS UPHOLDS LEE COUNTY CAPITAL
MURDER CONVICTION

(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the Alabama
Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the capital murder conviction of George William
Barton. Barton, 37, of Auburn, was convicted in Lee County Circuit Court in June 2017,
for the murder of his five-year-old step-daughter.*

Evidence was presented at trial that on June 7, 2015, Barton inflicted several head
and torso blows to the victim, which resulted in fracturing the child’s skull, separating
her vertebrae, and abdominal injuries the forensic pathologist at trial described as
“devastating.” The girl died from the numerous injuries Barton inflicted upon her.

Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes prosecuted the case. Upon
conviction, the trial court sentenced Barton to life imprisonment without the possibility
of parole. The Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Division handled Barton’s case
during the appeals process, arguing for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to
affirm the conviction. The Court did so in a decision issued Friday, May 25th.

Attorney General Marshall commended Assistant Attorney General Tracy Daniel
of the Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Section for her successful work in this case.

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*Victim’s name is being withheld because she was a minor.

501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov