Attorneys for Timothy Buffington, who escaped from the Pine Bluff complex on June 21 and surrendered Sept. 18, have asked for a mental examination for their client.
Buffington was set to go to trial last week, but on Jan. 21, paperwork was filed with the court requesting the exam, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Wayne Juneau said Friday.
Juneau said his office has sent the case file to the Arkansas State Hospital as requested, and the hospital will then set a date for prison personnel to transport Buffington to Little Rock for the exam, adding that it could take several months for the examination to be scheduled.
Buffington, who was serving a 20-year sentence for first-degree murder after being convicted in 1999 of shooting his ex-wife near the Booneville city limits, was a trusty and his job was to take care of lawns in the employee housing area on Freeline Drive when he escaped.
Before he walked away, Buffington broke into a secure room at one of the housing units and took a loaded shotgun and camouflage clothing.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
He surrendered to an Arkansas State trooper after first calling the Booneville Police Department, where he spoke to the police chief.
Prosecuting Attorney S. Kyle Hunter charged Buffington with kidnapping, first-degree escape, theft of property and aggravated assault on Oct. 1, and Juneau said Friday that the state added a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm against Buffington on Sept. 1.
Buffington is currently being held at the Varner Supermax Unit and Juneau said that because Buffington had already been convicted of a crime involving violence (first-degree murder), if he is convicted of kidnapping, a Class Y Felony, he would have to do 100 percent of his sentence.
Under Arkansas law, a Class Y Felony is punishable by 10 to 40 years or life in prison.