WISE, Va. — A Wise County grand jury has indicted 36-year-old James Dyer Buckland on 17 counts, including attempted murder, for the shooting of Norton Police Chief James Lane back in May.
According to police, Chief Lane was responding to a shoplifting complaint the afternoon of May 7, when he encountered Buckland in the parking lot. Lane attempted to make contact with Buckland, who allegedly then opened fire on the officer as he sat in his car, hitting him several times. Lane and another officer returned fire, striking Buckland.
The grand jury handed down an indictment on Wednesday, charging Buckland with the following:
- Attempted Murder of Norton Police Chief James Lane, a law enforcement officer, for the purpose of interfering with his official duties, a class 2 felony carrying up to 20 years in the penitentiary.
- Use of a firearm in commission of attempted capital murder, an unclassified felony carrying a mandatory minimum of three years in the penitentiary.
- Possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a violent felony, an unclassified felony carrying a mandatory minimum of five years in the penitentiary.
- Carrying a concealed weapon, a class 1 misdemeanor carrying up to 12 months in jail.
- Brandishing a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, a class 6 felony carrying up to 5 years in the penitentiary.
- Assault and battery of Norton Police Department Sgt. Jason McConnell, a law enforcement officer, a class 6 felony carrying up to 5 years in the penitentiary.
- Use of a firearm in the commission of felony assault and battery of a law enforcement officer, an unclassified felony carrying a mandatory minimum of three years in the penitentiary.
- Aggravated malicious wounding of Norton Police Chief James Lane, a class 2 felony carrying up to life in the penitentiary.
- Use of a firearm in the commission of aggravated malicious wounding, an unclassified felony carrying a mandatory minimum of three years in the penitentiary.
- Malicious bodily injury to a law enforcement officer, an unclassified felony carrying up to 30 years in the penitentiary.
- Use of a firearm in the commission of malicious bodily injury to a law enforcement officer, an unclassified felony carrying a mandatory minimum of three years in the penitentiary.
- Shooting a firearm into a vehicle, a class 4 felony carrying up to 10 years in the penitentiary.
- Shooting a firearm in a street resulting in bodily injury to Norton Police Chief James Lane, a class 6 felony carrying up to 5 years in the penitentiary.
- Reckless handling of a firearm with reckless disregard for human life and causing serious injury to Police Chief James Lane, a class 6 felony carrying up to 5 years in the penitentiary.
- Disorderly conduct, a class 1 misdemeanor carrying up to 12 months in jail.
- Felony destruction of property belonging to the Norton City Police Department, a class 6 felony carrying up to 5 years in the penitentiary.
- Use of a firearm in the commission of felony destruction of property, an unclassified felony carrying a mandatory minimum of three years in the penitentiary.
Buckland is now scheduled to appear in Wise Circuit Court Aug. 23 to be arraigned on the charges. He continues to be held in the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail at Duffield.
