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Thread: Michael Walker Sentenced to 26 Years in 2010 NC Beating Death of 18 mo. old

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    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Michael Walker Sentenced to 26 Years in 2010 NC Beating Death of 18 mo. old

    In the second case, Michael Walker, 32, is charged with murder and child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury in the April 12 death of Zione Washington, the 18-month old son of his girlfriend. The mother told authorities she'd left the toddler and his two siblings at home with Walker while she went out to get cigarettes, and was gone about 15 minutes.

    Assistant District Attorney Gabrielle Macon said Walker confessed to hitting Zione with his fists and a plastic bowling pin. The toddler sustained bruises to his back, chest, arm, forehead and jaw, she said, and died at the hospital.

    Walker's attorney, Susan Weigand, said she didn't believe there was enough evidence to support elevating the case to a capital crime. She said the state has not sought the death penalty in some cases where a medical examiner found the injuries to a child to be "much worse."

    But Macon contended there were special circumstances in the case, calling the death "especially heinous, atrocious and cruel." She told Mecklenburg Superior Court Judge Forrest Bridges that Walker had "essentially left this child helpless." Walker, she said, told authorities the toddler had been whimpering after being hit, and had opportunity to call for help or tell the hospital the extent of the child's injuries. But she said he didn't confess until after authorities showed him the child's injuries.

    Records showed Walker has no criminal history in North Carolina.

    Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/02/1538362/death-penalty-sought-in-2-murder.html#ixzz0sXlnnLPK

  2. #2
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JLR's Avatar
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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Michael Walker, accused of killing his girlfriend's 19-month-old child, told the judge Friday he deserves his punishment.
    "I just want to say I'm sorry," Walker, his wrists in handcuffs and his legs shackled, said moments before being sentenced. "I can't bring him back. I've got to live with this. I'm embarrassed."
    Then he added: "I'm getting what I deserve."
    Superior Court Judge Bob Bell sentenced Walker to a minimum of 28 years and a maximum of 36 years in prison.
    Walker, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony child abuse in connection with the April 2010 killing of Zione Washington. He admitted that the abuse of Shamika Washington's son was especially heinous, atrocious and cruel. That admission exposed him to more prison time.
    Walker also pleaded guilty to felony child abuse of Shamika Washington's 21/2-year-old son, Michael.
    Mecklenburg Assistant District Attorney Gabrielle Macon told the judge that Shamika Washington had gone out about 2 a.m. April 12 to buy a pack of cigarettes. When she got back to the apartment, on Teal Point Drive off North Sharon Amity Road, she took a 15-minute shower. She then entered the bedroom and noticed Zione lying on his back. Vomit was coming from his nose, his lips were blue and he was not breathing.
    Washington began CPR and told her boyfriend to call 911.
    As Medic emergency personnel approached the apartment about 3 a.m., Walker came toward them with Zione in his arms. The child was transported to Presbyterian Hospital. Both Medic and hospital staff saw what appeared to be bruising on Zione, Macon said. Zione never regained a pulse or began breathing and was pronounced dead at 3:25 a.m.
    Macon told the judge that Walker confessed to beating Zione. The prosecutor said that Walker, when confronted with photographs of the child's injuries, told detectives that Zione had started crying after Washington left the apartment.
    Walker recalled telling Zione to go back to sleep but got frustrated and hit him with a plastic bowling pin and on the chest several times with an open hand and closed fist, Macon said.
    He said he then pulled the covers over Zione and went back to watching TV.
    Macon told the judge that Zione had bruises on his face, chest, abdomen and forehead. Detectives found three plastic bowling pins in the bedroom closet, the prosecutor said. One of them was crushed.
    Shamika Washington wasn't at the sentencing of her son's killer. Macon told the judge that Zione's mother had moved to Georgia and authorities had been unable to contact her.
    Defense attorney Susan Weigand told the judge that Walker was intoxicated and had been smoking marijuana on the night of Zione's killing. She said Walker told police that Zione's mother had nothing to do with her child's death.
    "Mr. Walker is a very tormented soul," Weigand said. "He is extremely sorry."
    http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/Man-p...117850794.html

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