A Case of Self-Defense, or

How Not to Argue in Pahrump

It is a fact that some men, when faced with a simple disagreement, will resort to the fine art of persuasion, while others—less burdened by good sense—will opt instead for a bullet. Marshall Barker, 37, of Pahrump, appears to be of the latter persuasion, as he now finds himself a guest of the Nye County Detention Center following an unfortunate Tuesday afternoon debate conducted with a semi-automatic pistol.

According to Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill, the festivities began on March 4 along Donner Street, where deputies responded with admirable swiftness to reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they found a gaggle of residents spilling out of the house, each eager to share their version of events—most notably, that the gunman and his unfortunate target were still inside.

Deputies then made their way in and discovered Barker standing over the wounded party, a 56-year-old man in a wheelchair and newly acquainted with the disadvantages of a gunshot wound to the thigh. The victim was promptly whisked away by Mercy Air to Las Vegas, where he is recovering—though one suspects he may carry a newfound appreciation for the pitfalls of housemate disagreements.

McGill recounted that once given his rights, Barker did not trouble himself with denials but took the opportunity to confess that he had indeed shot the man—albeit under the ever-popular justification of self-defense. His wheelchair-bound adversary, Barker claimed, had launched a savage attack with a knife, leaving him no choice but to put an end to the hostilities by way of gunfire.

Unfortunately for Barker, the witnesses— numerous and unimpressed with his storytelling—offered a different account. They insisted that the victim was unarmed and that the quarrel had scarcely escalated before Barker produced his firearm and demonstrated his position on the matter with powder and lead.

Further inquiry into the supposed knife-wielding revealed that the only knife in question belonged to Barker and had, quite inconveniently for his case, never been brandished by the victim. A routine background check revealed that Barker was already a wanted man, having neglected to appear in court for a traffic violation.

The authorities, deciding that a man inclined to shoot a fellow over an argument might also be the sort to disregard a court summons, wasted no time in upgrading his legal predicament. He now stands accused of attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Thus, Marshall Barker, who began his day as a free man of Pahrump, has ended it in less favorable accommodations—his attempt at self-defense proving about as successful as his attempt at evasion.