University graduate charged with murder

A 1985 graduate of the University was charged Tuesday with murdering a man at a gas station in Providence, Rhode Island. David Barrett, 32, a psychiatrist-in-training in Brown University's residency program was charged with killing Joseph Sylvia, 33, of East Providence. According to police, Barrett had an ongoing dispute with a store clerk at McCane's Mobil, an East Providence gas station and convenience store. A little after 1 a.m. on Tuesday, Barrett drove to the station with two others and had words with the clerk, Michael Glynn, police said. "The dispute was not a serious one," Captain Joseph Broadmeadow said. "The clerk did not take it seriously and really didn't understand Mr. Barrett's problem." Sylvia, a friend of Glynn's, intervened in the dispute. Sylvia backed his van into Barrett's car. Then Barrett walked over to Sylvia's open driver's side window, pointed a gun at her and fired three shots, witnesses told police. Police arrived quickly after the shots were fired. Barrett did not try to flee and was arrested at the scene. Both the suspected murder weapon and a handgun were found in Barrett's car, police said. The two individuals with Barrett were question by police, but not charged. Barrett is a 1992 graduate of the University of Vermont Medical College. He entered Brown's residency program in 1992, spending one year at Miriam Hospital in Providence and the past two years at Butler Hospital, a state psychiatric facility. He took a one month leave of absence on June 12, and went on an indefinite medical leave on July 12. According to police, Barrett had no criminal record. But Sylvia served six months in jail for illegal possession of a firearm. She was released in May 1994. Barrett was engaged to be married in his final year of residency at Butler.

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