MANHATTAN – A 58-year old Kansas man was sentenced in Riley County Court on Wednesday for the February 2008 murder of a Clay Center man.

A jury found Howard Barrett guilty of reckless 2nd degree murder in the killing of Thomas James in Barrett’s Leonardville apartment.

Barrett’s original trial was delayed when he was ruled incompetent to stand trial. Experts said he suffered from schizophrenia.

In 2010, a judge ruled that Barrett was competent to stand trial after the Larned State Hospital reported Barrett was mentally ill, but while on medication he did well and was a functioning adult.

Barrett was sentenced to 123 months incarcerations with the Kansas Department of Corrections and 36 months supervised post release.

The Judge did note on record that he hopes the Department of Corrections takes Larned State Hospital’s report and enters Barrett into a State Security Hospital.