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COVINGTON — The man witnesses say they saw laughing as he ran down two women and three children in the parking lot of a McDonald’s restaurant in May 2006 entered a guilty plea to charges of murder and aggravated battery before a packed courtroom Monday in Newton County Superior Court.
Lanny Perry Barnes, 47, of 7156 Petty St., pleaded guilty to running over 2-year-old Avery Nicole King of North Carolina, her mother, Anita King, along with Covington resident Stephanie Casola and her two sons, Isaac and Jake. Avery King died as a result of the injuries she sustained.
Anita King suffered a broken leg and kneecap, as well as injuries to her head, neck and back. Injuries suffered by other family members during the incident included Isaac with a bruised and lacerated liver and a bruised left lung; Jake had fractures and separation of his pelvis, a broken shoulder and burns all over his body from road rash; Stephanie Casola suffered a laceration that went to the bone and extended from her hip down her leg, a broken and dislocated foot, a broken collarbone, lacerated liver, broken ribs and burns from the car as well as road rash.
For the murder of Avery King, Judge Eugene Benton sentenced Barnes to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Barnes, who was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after his arrest, was also sentenced to 80 years in prison for four counts of aggravated battery.
Newton County District Attorney Ken Wynne, who had been seeking the death penalty against Barnes, told the court that given the defendant’s medical condition and chances for survival, he consulted with the victims and they agreed that allowing him to enter into a negotiated plea might be the best option.
“I was afraid that he would deteriorate to the point that he wouldn’t be able to stand trial,” he said.
According to Wynne, Barnes’ cancer has progressed to the point that a bone marrow transplant is the only viable treatment available for him and he only stands a one-in-three chance of survival.
“I’m glad for the sake of the King family and Casola family that the court case is over for them,” said Wynne. “It’s not justice for them, but it’s as close as humanly possible given the circumstances of this case.”
Though he said there were no issues pertaining to his client’s competency, Chris Adams, who represented Barnes in the case along with Newton County Public Defender Anthony Carter, told the court the defendant suffered several “major losses” in his 20s that may have triggered the onset of depression and possibly schizophrenia.
Adams said he and Carter had intended to use this as a defense at the upcoming trial but that they had decided to waive it in light of the circumstances.
“I know you’re representing that man; something must not have been right,” said Adams, describing what people have said to him on the street.
Adams said his client would like to take back what he did and indicated it has been hard on Barnes fighting a battle on “two fronts,” with the rigors of the criminal case, as well as leukemia.
“Lanny wants to accept responsibility,” he said, adding that he has a “great heart ... We hope he can turn all of his attention to fighting for his life.”
Following sentencing, Benton allowed the victims and their family to make statements to Barnes.
“Mr. Barnes, you have forced me to endure countless hours of integrity-free rambling from your attorneys ... so we’re going to take the time allotted to us to explain to you ... what you did,” said Stephanie Casola’s husband, Paul.
Casola then held each of his two sons in his arms, one at a time, and told Barnes, who sat with his head down through most of the proceedings, about the trauma he had caused in their lives and the injuries and scars they are forced to carry because of him.
“I do not believe that you have a great heart, because people with a great heart do not run down 3- and 4-year-olds with their vehicle,” he said. “There are heroes in this world (Casola was referring to the man who took his son to the hospital in his own vehicle at the time of the incident), and you’re not one of them.”
Paul Casola also described in graphic detail to the court the severity of the injuries his sons and niece sustained.
“When I went to put my hand onto the back of (Jake’s) head to comfort him, my hand sunk into his skull because it had turned to mush, and that’s what you did to him, Mr. Barnes.”
Though the family brought many pictures of happier times with Avery King to the courtroom, Paul Casola said the image he will always remember of her is seeing her head wrapped in bandages and saying the last prayer before the doctors pronounced her dead.
“Not only did you break my body, you broke my spirit,” Stephanie Casola said.
Stephanie Casola, who was wearing a button with a photo of her slain niece, said the lives of her two sons, as well as her daughter, Haley, have been forever changed by Barnes’ actions on that spring day.
Her two sons, who she described as previously being outgoing and bold, are now fearful and timid, she said. She also said she is tormented daily by the screams and cries she heard that day.
“I hope your parents are proud,” Stephanie Casola repeatedly told Barnes in her statement.
She described Barnes as the “lowest form of humanity that exists” and said she hopes he dies a slow and painful death.
“I’m tormented by one word and that is ‘Why?’” she said.
Last to address the defendant was Avery King’s mother, Anita, who read a journal she kept about her daughter aloud to the court, telling Barnes she was doing this so he would know how much she loved her daughter.
“You cuddle with me as if to say ‘I love you,’” King read. “Your smile is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Avery died six days before her third birthday. King said the family used the Cinderella decorations they had purchased for the party at the funeral.
“She was my every reason for living,” King told Barnes.
King said she has struggled with the loss of her daughter and has even contemplated taking her own life but indicated that by committing suicide she would be allowing Barnes to take another life and that she would not allow him to take anything from her again.
King also described Barnes as “evil” and said she couldn’t fathom how he could laugh as he ran over innocent babies.
“I screamed, ‘Stop! They’re babies, stop!’ And you backed up and hit us again and again,” she said.
King said she hopes Barnes experiences the most agonizing death possible.
“I hope you feel every ounce of torment. There is a place in hell for you awaiting your final breath,” she said. “I will laugh as I imagine you being tormented by the flames of hell.”
King also read the final entry in the journal she made for Avery in November following the birth of her daughter, Gracie. She was pregnant with that child at the time of the assault.
“Avery, we miss you so much. Your absence is too much to bear,” she read. “I miss you, baby girl. I love you honey, with all my heart, forever, Mommy”
In closing, King showed a home movie of her and Avery.
“I love mommy, I love daddy,” Avery could be heard saying on the video.
Barnes could be seen lifting a tissue to his face during the playing of the video, after which he was taken into custody.
In a statement made following the hearing, Paul Casola said his family is doing better physically, but emotionally, it will be a while before things are normal again. In addition to his family, Paul Casola also said he believes the community has suffered because of Barnes, since taxpayers have had to foot the bill for his medical and legal expenses.
During the family’s statements to the court, they pointed out that it was ironic that the defendant’s medical bills were being paid by the “good people of Newton County,” while the victims would be paying for their expenses the rest of their lives.
“It closed a chapter in my life,” Stephanie Casola said of her parting comments to Barnes. “I’m relieved that it’s over.”
Joel Griffin can be reached at joel.griffin@newtoncitizen.com.

Source: Newton Citizen