Walker could face 10 years in prison
By Kat Russell, Reporter
The Paducah Sun
April 20, 2016
http://www.paducahsun.com/news/local/042016_PS_Walker_Revocation
MURRAY, Ky. — Former Paducah Middle School assistant principal Jerry Walker made his first appearance in Calloway Circuit Court Tuesday to address
the revocation of his diversion agreement.
Walker, 40, received a 10-year sentence in Calloway County in 2012 after he pleaded guilty to six counts of tampering with physical evidence.
The charges stem from an investigation into a dorm fire at Murray State University in 1998 that killed a 19-year-old student. Following the fire, Walker wrote six letters accusing other people of starting the fatal blaze.
As part of his plea agreement, Walker's sentence was diverted for five years. The agreement stipulated if Walker committed no further offenses, after five years the charges would be dropped.
That agreement was violated on April 1 when Walker was convicted in McCracken County on charges of tampering with physical evidence, perjury and witness tampering, for which he could face up to three years in prison. Sentencing in that case is scheduled for July 1.
In court Tuesday, Commonwealth Attorney Mark Blankenship presented the court with a motion to revoke Walker's diversion. The revocation means Walker could now serve that 10-year sentence.
Walker's defense attorney Dennis Null said in his response that the defense would not oppose the motion because "the facts in the (Commonwealth's motion) are correct, and the defendant has no basis to request that the court not revoke his diversion agreement."
Circuit Judge James Jamison upheld the motion, setting aside the diversion and scheduling sentencing for July 8.
The defense also filed a motion in court requesting Walker receive probation rather than a prison sentence. The motion states that, aside from the recent McCracken conviction, Walker has adhered to the diversion agreement and completed all that was required of him, including community service hours and writing a letter of apology.
Following the hearing, Blankenship said he plans to oppose probation, stating Walker has a proven history of lying to get what he wants.
"What's bothersome to me is that, even as a young man confronted with this case in Murray, he wrote these letters to steer the police in another direction. ... So, even at a young age he was willing to fabricate evidence to try and get a particular result.
"And here we are all these years later and ... when he was faced with just a civil case in order to get his job back, he resorted to the same tactics - fabricating evidence and creating bogus photographs. So my argument is that he's established a pattern and it shows a lot of disrespect for the court system."
the revocation of his diversion agreement.
Walker, 40, received a 10-year sentence in Calloway County in 2012 after he pleaded guilty to six counts of tampering with physical evidence.
The charges stem from an investigation into a dorm fire at Murray State University in 1998 that killed a 19-year-old student. Following the fire, Walker wrote six letters accusing other people of starting the fatal blaze.
As part of his plea agreement, Walker's sentence was diverted for five years. The agreement stipulated if Walker committed no further offenses, after five years the charges would be dropped.
That agreement was violated on April 1 when Walker was convicted in McCracken County on charges of tampering with physical evidence, perjury and witness tampering, for which he could face up to three years in prison. Sentencing in that case is scheduled for July 1.
In court Tuesday, Commonwealth Attorney Mark Blankenship presented the court with a motion to revoke Walker's diversion. The revocation means Walker could now serve that 10-year sentence.
Walker's defense attorney Dennis Null said in his response that the defense would not oppose the motion because "the facts in the (Commonwealth's motion) are correct, and the defendant has no basis to request that the court not revoke his diversion agreement."
Circuit Judge James Jamison upheld the motion, setting aside the diversion and scheduling sentencing for July 8.
The defense also filed a motion in court requesting Walker receive probation rather than a prison sentence. The motion states that, aside from the recent McCracken conviction, Walker has adhered to the diversion agreement and completed all that was required of him, including community service hours and writing a letter of apology.
Following the hearing, Blankenship said he plans to oppose probation, stating Walker has a proven history of lying to get what he wants.
"What's bothersome to me is that, even as a young man confronted with this case in Murray, he wrote these letters to steer the police in another direction. ... So, even at a young age he was willing to fabricate evidence to try and get a particular result.
"And here we are all these years later and ... when he was faced with just a civil case in order to get his job back, he resorted to the same tactics - fabricating evidence and creating bogus photographs. So my argument is that he's established a pattern and it shows a lot of disrespect for the court system."
