Man gets up to 70 years in re-trial for deadly 2014 Lancaster bar shooting
Lancaster, PA – A former Manor Township man was sentenced Monday to up to 70 years in state prison for fatally shooting a man and injuring two others inside a crowded Lancaster city bar in 2014, following a re-trial that found him guilty of voluntary manslaughter and multiple other charges.
Lamar Douglas Clark, 39, was handed a sentence of 31.5 to 70 years by Lancaster County Judge Merrill Spahn after a jury found him guilty of killing 54-year-old Barry Diffenderfer during a violent outburst at a bar on East Chestnut Street on the night of November 7, 2014.
Two other individuals were also shot by Clark during the incident but survived. Eleven people total were placed in danger, prosecutors said.
Clark was previously convicted of third-degree murder in a 2016 trial and sentenced to up to 87 years in prison. He served 11 years of that sentence before the Pennsylvania Superior Court overturned the conviction in 2023, granting a new trial on grounds of ineffective legal counsel.
At the re-trial held last fall, a jury convicted Clark on charges of voluntary manslaughter, two counts of aggravated assault, and 11 counts of recklessly endangering another person. Survivors of the shooting testified that Clark opened fire inside the packed bar, endangering everyone present.
In court, Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman described Clark as a continuing danger to the community, arguing for the maximum sentence allowed. Judge Spahn echoed that sentiment, citing the “senseless violence” Clark unleashed that night.
Members of Diffenderfer’s family gave emotional statements prior to sentencing, calling Clark a “burden,” a “coward,” and a danger to society. One of Diffenderfer’s children said every person in that bar “faced death” because of Clark’s actions.
During sentencing, Clark read a prepared statement in which he acknowledged his “reckless” actions and asked the family for forgiveness. His attorney had asked for a reduced sentence, claiming Clark had changed and could be a “law-abiding citizen” upon release.
In addition to prison time, Clark was ordered to pay over $17,000 in restitution.
Charges were originally filed by Lancaster City Bureau of Police Detective Stanley Roache. Prosecutors credited Fetterman and the District Attorney’s Office for pursuing the case after the original conviction was overturned.
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Key Points
- Lamar Douglas Clark sentenced to 31.5 to 70 years for fatal 2014 bar shooting in Lancaster
- Victim Barry Diffenderfer was killed, two others injured, and 11 people endangered
- Clark was re-tried after his original conviction was overturned due to ineffective counsel
