Roll of Honor
James Franklin Barbaree
Incident
Chief Deputy Sheriff James Barbaree was shot and killed as he and the city marshal of Union Springs attempted to arrest two men for selling illegal liquor.
Chief Deputy Barbaree had received information that two men were going to be bringing liquor into town. He and the city marshal began searching for the men on Aberfoil Road before driving to the lower part of Prairie Street. After a short wait, they observed the men drive up to a house. The officers approached the men and told them they were under arrest. A struggle ensued in which one of the men disarmed the city marshal and shot him in the arm.
The man then walked around the car and shot Chief Deputy Barbaree in the head as he struggled with the other subject. The man fled to Chicago where he was arrested in August 1929. He was extradited to Alabama, convicted of Chief Deputy Barbaree's murder, and sentenced to death. He was executed on June 20th, 1930.
Chief Deputy Barbaree had served in law enforcement for about four years and had previously served with the Union Springs Police Department for about seven years. He had served as the elected city marshal for several years.
Chief Deputy Barbaree's brother, Police Officer John Barbaree of the Montgomery Police Department, had been shot and killed in the line of duty on September 29th, 1919.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-AL-C6C29C79- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Barbaree gave the Bullock County Sheriff's Office 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Union Springs community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief Deputy Sheriff Barbaree.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief Deputy Sheriff James Franklin Barbaree is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Franklin Barbaree's cause is highlighted.
How James Franklin Barbaree Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to death
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Franklin Barbaree is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Franklin Barbaree was killed by officer's handgun.