In the winter of 2004, a tragedy unfolded in the quiet town of Athens, Alabama, that would forever mark the community. On January 2nd, 40-year-old Athens Police Officer Anthony Lee Mims, a man who had dedicated 15 years to law enforcement, responded to what would be his final call. The initial summons was unusual, a man requesting to speak with the FBI. A few minutes later, the same individual called back, this time asking for the police.
This seemingly erratic behavior was a prelude to the violence that would soon erupt.
When Officer Mims arrived at the residence on Horton Street, he was met with a hail of gunfire. A man named Farron Barksdale, who was intoxicated and had a history of mental illness, had laid a deadly trap. Before Mims could even exit his patrol car, Barksdale opened fire with a high-powered rifle, shooting through the windshield and striking the officer multiple times. The assault was sudden and brutal, leaving Mims with no chance to defend himself. He was found still strapped in his seatbelt, his vehicle not yet in park.
Tragically, the violence did not end with Officer Mims. His partner, Sergeant Larry Russell, arrived at the scene moments later, only to be met with the same deadly ambush. As Sergeant Russell attempted to get out of his vehicle, Barksdale shot him as well. While Sergeant Russell was airlifted to a local hospital, he succumbed to his wounds a short time later. The senseless attack had claimed the lives of two dedicated officers, leaving a community in shock and mourning.
In the immediate aftermath, Farron Barksdale surrendered to the authorities at the scene and was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with six counts of capital murder. The legal proceedings that followed would stretch on for years. In July 2007, Barksdale pleaded guilty to five counts of capital murder and two counts of shooting into an occupied vehicle. This plea was part of an agreement to spare him the death penalty, resulting in a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, Barksdale's time in prison was short-lived. Just days after being transferred to a correctional facility, he was found unconscious in his cell and died in the hospital a week later from complications of bronchopneumonia.
