|
|
| Allegheny County jail officer behind bars, guilty in inmate sex case |
| By Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |
| Published: 05/09/2005 |
|
Former corrections officer LeShawn M. Walker was behind bars last week, after his bond was revoked following his conviction on charges that he coerced several female inmates into sex acts. A jury of eight women and six men deliberated over two days before returning verdicts last week. Walker, 33, a former Allegheny County Jail officer from Duquesne, was found guilty on half of the assault charges for which he had been on trial -- three felony counts and one misdemeanor count of institutional sexual assault. He was found not guilty of three additional felony counts. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on charges that Walker raped one of the women. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Donna Jo McDaniel will sentence Walker July 12. His defense attorney, Wendy L. Williams, said it's likely that Walker will be sentenced to a state penitentiary. "I'm absolutely positive just from the way the trial was that the judge is going to give him time," Williams said. Under state law, jail and prison officers, if convicted of institutional sexual assault, can be sentenced to incarceration even if the acts were consensual. Walker, who had worked at the jail since December 1995, testified during his trial that he was the only male officer on the pod where he worked. Some of the female inmates testified on his behalf, claiming that at least some of his accusers bragged that they would benefit by making the accusations. "You go over there and promise [inmates] anything out of the ordinary and you can get them to say anything," Williams said. At least two of the accusers, defense witnesses testified, planned to file lawsuits against Walker and the county before making their assault accusations known. They expected that their claims would help them get out of jail sooner. Walker is one of 13 corrections officers at the county jail to face sex assault charges. He is the sixth to have faced trial. Only one has been acquitted of the charges he faced. Deputy District Attorney Diane Berman, who is prosecuting all of the officers, declined comment because other trials are pending. |
Comments:
Login to let us know what you think
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
A jury of eight women and six men deliberated over two days before returning verdicts last week, they need to solve the problem.Corporate Travel Agency in Quetta