Teen Convicted Of Misdemeanor In Death Of Huffman High Student

BIRMINGHAM, AL - A little more than a year after the tragic shooting death of Huffman High School senior Courtlin Arrington inside her school, fellow student Michael Jerome Barber has been convicted of criminally negligent homicide in the shooting. Originally charged with manslaughter, a felony, Barber's conviction is less severe than his initial charge.

The Huffman shooting incident, which occurred March 7, 2018, shook Birmingham communities throughout the metro area, as people searched for answers regarding the tragedy. Huffman High School is equipped with metal detectors, but school officials said the metal detectors were not used that day, which would explain how Barber was able to get the gun into the school.

The shooting happened as students were being dismissed from school, when Arrington reportedly was shot when she asked to see Barber’s gun and it discharged, striking her in the chest. When police arrived, they found Arrington unconscious in the classroom. She was taken to UAB Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The jury began deliberating Thursday morning, returning to the courtroom twice, according to a report by Alabama Media Group. The first time was to re-watch the school surveillance video, and the second, asking the judge to explain the difference between manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

The charge of criminally negligent homicide is a misdemeanor, which carries a much more lenient penalty than manslaughter. Barber's sentencing begins August 8.