Accused Cop Killer Tweeted About Getting "High" on Day of Accident
By: Lauren Trager, KARK 4 News
Updated: February 12, 2013
There are disturbing new details about the man accused of killing a Conway police officer.
His posts on Twitter, some say, could be very damaging in the case against him.
We started digging into this after a viewer contacted us concerned about what suspect Barry Strickland had posted to his public Twitter page the very day he's accused of killing in the killing.
Monday, Strickland's attorney told us he's a decorated war hero, disabled, though, with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"The thing I would ask and pray for everyone to do is not rush to judgement on this," said Frank Shaw, Strickland's defense attorney.
On Monday, Shaw said his client Barry Strickland was only on prescribed medication for PTSD and was headed home from work January 31st when prosecutors say he hit and killed Conway Police Officer William McGary as the officer worked another accident scene.
But posts we found on Strickland's Twitter page may show Strickland took far more than his prescribed dosage.
There is a picture of 50 pills and in broken grammar, Strickland allegedly wrote "throw it up -- if you want to get higher than a church steeple."
In another, also on the same day, he asks someone if they are interested in some drugs because "doctor straight hook me up."
And other posts indicate Strickland was recently having problems with a woman.
Shaw told us he hadn't seen the Twitter account/ Prosecutors say they can't comment on the evidence in the case.
But UALR Bowen School of Law Dean John DiPippa says social media statements like this can be damaging.
"If I post something on the internet, it's almost like sending a letter or posting a sign, it's available as evidence," Dean DiPippa said.
DiPippa says social media is being used increasingly in court cases to show a defendant's opportunity, motive, even character or state of mind.
The statements, he says, are very hard to defend against--judges and juries often will take note.
"Anytime a person hears something in a defendants own words, then it has more impact," DiPippa said.
Time will tell if Strickland's statements will be heard in court, ever since the accident his Twitter feed has fallen silent.
Strickland is out on bond but will be in court Wednesday morning at nine. Prosecutors are asking for a heftier bond of $250,000 so he could get sent back to jail until his trial.
His posts on Twitter, some say, could be very damaging in the case against him.
We started digging into this after a viewer contacted us concerned about what suspect Barry Strickland had posted to his public Twitter page the very day he's accused of killing in the killing.
Monday, Strickland's attorney told us he's a decorated war hero, disabled, though, with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"The thing I would ask and pray for everyone to do is not rush to judgement on this," said Frank Shaw, Strickland's defense attorney.
On Monday, Shaw said his client Barry Strickland was only on prescribed medication for PTSD and was headed home from work January 31st when prosecutors say he hit and killed Conway Police Officer William McGary as the officer worked another accident scene.
But posts we found on Strickland's Twitter page may show Strickland took far more than his prescribed dosage.
There is a picture of 50 pills and in broken grammar, Strickland allegedly wrote "throw it up -- if you want to get higher than a church steeple."
In another, also on the same day, he asks someone if they are interested in some drugs because "doctor straight hook me up."
And other posts indicate Strickland was recently having problems with a woman.
Shaw told us he hadn't seen the Twitter account/ Prosecutors say they can't comment on the evidence in the case.
But UALR Bowen School of Law Dean John DiPippa says social media statements like this can be damaging.
"If I post something on the internet, it's almost like sending a letter or posting a sign, it's available as evidence," Dean DiPippa said.
DiPippa says social media is being used increasingly in court cases to show a defendant's opportunity, motive, even character or state of mind.
The statements, he says, are very hard to defend against--judges and juries often will take note.
"Anytime a person hears something in a defendants own words, then it has more impact," DiPippa said.
Time will tell if Strickland's statements will be heard in court, ever since the accident his Twitter feed has fallen silent.
Strickland is out on bond but will be in court Wednesday morning at nine. Prosecutors are asking for a heftier bond of $250,000 so he could get sent back to jail until his trial.
