CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A man convicted of causing damage to several properties on Charleston’s East End during a violent spree will serve his time on home confinement.
Isaiah Barksdale was sentenced by Kanawha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey on Wednesday. He will consecutively serve two terms of 1-10 years for felony destruction of property.
Investigators said in August 2023 that Barksdale used a large piece of asphalt to damage glass, doors, and vehicles as he ran through the city’s East End, causing damage at Moses Cadillac, Best Western, the Clay Center, Subway, Tudor’s, Walgreens, and ParMar.
Addressing the court on his client’s behalf, attorney Ed ReBrook explained that his client was not in his right mind when the incident occurred.
“That single offense occurred when my client was acutely intoxicated, actively psychotic from untreated schizoaffective disorder, and profoundly limited by lifelong cognitive impairments that always made it difficult for him to fully comprehend consequences or control impulses in moments of crisis,” he said.
ReBrook described a change in Barksdale in the two years since his arrest, saying new psychiatric medication and a supportive living environment provided by his stepmother have allowed him to remain sober and avoid violence in the meantime.
“He’s become a completely different person. Since that date, he’s committed no acts of aggression or violence whatsoever,” he said.
As part of an agreement with the defense, the prosecution remained silent during the hearing.
Judge Bailey issued the sentence of home confinement contingent upon Barksdale continuing mental health counseling and participating in a substance abuse program.
He was credited with more than 800 days of time served and ordered to pay $1300 in restitution to the Clay Center, while payment to Moses Cadillac was held in abeyance pending a response from the car dealer.