Arkansas prison death leads to new charge against inmate

A 24-year-old inmate serving time on burglary, drug and theft convictions was charged Monday with killing a fellow prisoner.

James Buyard, who returned to prison just a few months ago, now faces up to 30 additional years as a habitual offender on a manslaughter charge in the August death of John Demoret, 25. Buyard told investigators that the death was an act of self-defense.

Demoret’s death was one of several instances of reported prison violence in Arkansas this summer. Officials have said the violence is worse than in years past.

Both Demoret and Buyard were housed in an open barracks at the Tucker Unit when a fight broke out July 28, according to an affidavit filed by the prosecutor in Jefferson County.

The affidavit, written by Arkansas State Police special agent Huston Talley, said security cameras inside the prison captured Demoret fighting with another inmate, Deon Williams, and using a piece of glass to cut Williams.

A second inmate, Joshua Thomas, became involved minutes later and began fighting with Demoret before other inmates broke it up, the affidavit said.

More than half an hour later, Demoret returned to his bunk and appeared to be packing up when Buyard struck him once, causing Demoret to fall to the floor and remain motionless, according to the affidavit.

Demoret was taken to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and later the infirmary at the prison system’s Ouachita River Unit in Malvern. Demoret died Aug. 10 — nearly two weeks after the fight — after being transported to Baptist Health Medical Center in Malvern.

It was the first death at Arkansas’ prisons to be ruled a homicide since an inmate was shot while trying to escape in April 2016, according to a prison spokesman.

Demoret started serving a 10-year sentence in the Department of Correction in 2012, after pleading guilty to manslaughter for shooting a man with a shotgun during an argument in Malvern.

Online prison records show Buyard returned to prison in June after being paroled last year. Prison spokesman Solomon Graves said Buyard was transferred to the Tucker Unit on June 15. That month, he was given a “maximum” risk assessment, online records show.

Three days before the fight, Buyard was given a new assessment, which scored him a “medium” risk, in preparation for a Parole Board hearing, Graves said.

According to the affidavit, Buyard told the investigator he had been among the group to break up the earlier fight between Demoret and Williams, and that afterward Demoret threatened him.

Buyard told investigators “Demoret was acting weird like he was under the influence” and that Buyard heard Demoret breaking down a razor blade, Talley wrote. The affidavit quoted Thomas saying he thought Demoret was on “Ice or K2,” referring to methamphetamine and a powerful form of synthetic marijuana.

“Inmate Buyard said that it was not his intentions to kill Demoret but to defend himself,” Talley wrote.

Kyle Hunter, the prosecuting attorney for Jefferson and Lincoln counties, said neither Williams nor Thomas were charged with a crime in relation to the fight.

All three inmates — Williams, Thomas and Buyard — were given a major disciplinary violation for battery, online prison records show. Buyard and Thomas are both housed at the Varner Supermax Unit. Williams is now housed at the East Arkansas Max Unit.

It’s unclear if Buyard has an attorney. Hunter said he’s not likely to be arraigned until November or December.

Buyard