By Matt Leingang
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SPRINGBORO - Former Springboro police Lt. Thomas "Jim" Barton, who was indicted Friday in the 1995 slaying of his wife, is confident that he'll be acquitted, his attorney said Saturday.
"This investigation has not discouraged his belief in the system, and he believes he'll be exonerated," said John H. Rion, an attorney from Dayton.
Barton, who retired from the Springboro police department in February as investigators reopened the case of his wife's death, was arrested about 9 p.m. Friday after a grand jury indicted him on two counts each of complicity to involuntary manslaughter and complicity to aggravated burglary and one count of complicity to burglary in the death of Vickie Barton.
Rion said he is furious that police arrested his client late on Friday night; the courthouse had closed, leaving no time for a judge to set bail, he said.
Rion said he met with Barton in the Warren County Jail Saturday.
The charges accuse Barton of taking part in the crime even though he didn't fire the fatal shots.
His wife, a nurse, was found shot in the head in the bedroom of the couple's farmhouse in rural Franklin Township, hours after having lunch in a park with her husband.
This year, the Springboro police department placed Jim Barton on leave in January.
Warren County Sheriff Tom Ariss said his office is still seeking the others involved in Vickie Barton's death.
Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel wouldn't say at a news conference Friday what new evidence has been found in the case.
In January, members of the year-old Warren County Cold Case Squad said they found evidence accusing Barton of altering the crime scene after finding his wife's body.
Investigators also said in January that they suspected William Phelps, of Middletown, and at least one other person of participating in the killing. Phelps committed suicide a month after Vickie Barton's death. Rion said he'll ask a judge to set bail Monday.
Barton is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, Hutzel said.
E-mail mleingang@enquirer.com
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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