This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.

The prosecution of Lavarius Barber, a man arrested for killing a horse in 2016 and again for subsequently attempting to murder a witness to the crime in 2017, continues to drag on within the justice system. Barber's court dates for his violent act against a youth have been continuously postponed, while he has escaped any attempted prosecution for taking the life of a defenseless animal. Please help us fight for justice for the horse Barber callously murdered in cold blood. 

Lavarius Barber of Greenville, Mississippi was charged with fatally shooting a horse in a pasture on Sharon Lane in Greenville on November 21, 2016. Barber was arrested and indicted for the crime of MSSS 97-41-15. The intentional harming of “livestock” including horses, cows, pigs, sheep and other domestic animals misused for profit, carries a penitentiary sentence of 1 -5 years, a fine between $1,500 - $10,000, and the ”owners” of the animals must be recompensed. Barber was released after posting a $75,000 bond.

Barber was later arrested and indicted for the attempted murder of a 17-year-old who was allegedly his co-defendant turned witness in the case involving the shooting of the horse. 

For Barber’s second violent crime, a $250,000 bond was set, and when compared to the relatively low bond amount for the murder of an innocent animal, this serves as a likely indication of speciesism. All violence towards living beings impact the animals involved and society on the whole and should be addressed with the attention and seriousness deserved.

Doll Stanley, our Justice for Animals Campaign director has been in communication with the Washington County District Attorney’s office as each court date is continued, once because the county required more time to assemble a sufficient jury. Our director has also obtained information from the Chancery Court Clerk that the DA is prosecuting Barber with aggravated assault for the shooting of the youth.

What You Can Do 

This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.