It has been almost fourteen years since that terrible day on July 29, 2011, when the precious lives of James Barrett (69) and grandson Alton Barrett (4) were taken while sitting at a red light on East High Street in Lebanon. The vehicle was waiting on the light to change when it was struck from the rear by a drunk driver. A third occupant, Ronnie Boyd, was also seriously injured and remained disabled for the rest of his life. The drunk driver, Barbara A. Mayfield, (then 45) of Lebanon, was verified to have a blood alcohol level of .25. As a result of the crash, Mayfield pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, one count of vehicular assault, one count of DUI 3rd offense, and one count of driving on a revoked driver’s license, 2nd offense. At a sentencing hearing held on October 16, 2012, she was sentenced to serve 50 years in the Tennessee Department of Correction.
On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Mayfield faced a parole hearing to determine if she should be released from prison and be placed on parole in the community. In attendance at the hearing were family members of victims, along with District Attorney Jason Lawson and Assistant District Attorney Laura Bush, who spoke in opposition of release. Members of Mayfield’s family spoke in support of release. Recently, the decision was announced—denial of parole and continued incarceration for Mayfield.
The case is so horrific that many wonder how Mayfield is even given a parole hearing. However, before July 1, 2022, most of Tennessee’s offenses did not fall under what is commonly known as “truth in sentencing,” meaning that the sentence given had to be served in its entirety. Due to an act passed by the Tennessee General Assembly that took effect on July 1, 2022, now the most violent offenses in Tennessee will never be granted a parole opportunity.
“This still leaves all of those cases that were committed prior to the Truth In Sentencing Law going into effect,” said Lawson. “On those cases, we will continue to stand with the victims’ families and do our very best to advocate that the defendant should serve the sentence earned by committing their crime. These victims’ families do not have attorneys and should not have to hire one to have legal argument presented at the parole hearing. To have the offender released early would absolutely depreciate the seriousness of the offense and cause injustice in the case. Here, if a fifty-year sentence turned into a fourteen-year sentence, for taking the lives of two people and seriously injuring a third, then our criminal justice system fails those victims. We cannot let that happen,” said Lawson.
This case represents one of many cases that the District Attorney’s office voice opinion at parole hearings each year, continuing to advocate for victims long after the original case ended in the court system. The D. A.’s Office receives notification of upcoming parole hearings, and on cases involving homicides and other serious offenses, the D.A.’s office speaks in opposition.
“People see the work we do everyday in the courtroom, but often don’t realize that our responsibility to victims continues for years after the conviction,” said Lawson. “While none of the prosecutors that originally handled this case are still with our office, that doesn’t lessen the on-going duty to continue to fight for victims. People like Mayfield should be made to serve their entire sentence, and we are thankful the parole board denied her request for early release.”
Parole is evaluated by a three-member panel who must review the original case, the efforts of rehabilitation of the defendant, any disciplinary infractions while in custody, and the plan of the defendant once released. A majority of the votes of the panel constitute the decision.
As the defendant has either pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial, the presumption of innocence is removed and is replaced by confirmation of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Earlier this year, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill to give more discretion to the parole board to base their decision solely on the facts of the crime, however, the bill was vetoed by Governor Lee.
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