By Zack McDonald
The News Herald, Panama City, Fla.
PANAMA CITY, Fla. — A former correctional officer has been sentenced to almost two years in federal prison for attacking an inmate and then planting a “shank” on him in an attempt to claim self-defense, according to court records.
Sgt. Willie L. Walker, 58, was sentenced Thursday to spend 21 months in federal prison followed by a year of supervised release in the case. He had been convicted in September of depriving an inmate, William Hernandez, of his constitutional rights to not endure cruel and unusual punishment while incarcerated in March 2015 at Gulf Correctional Institute. After hearing arguments in the case Thursday, District Judge Robert Hinkle sentenced Walker and ordered him to forfeit his retirement benefits from his time as an officer, court records stated.
Walker, of Lynn Haven, faced a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Prosecutors had requested a sentence of 24 months and two years probation in the case, citing Walker’s refusal to cooperate with authorities as a counter to his lack of criminal history.
Walker “was given several opportunities to cooperate with the government — both before and after the trial, because it is the government’s belief, based on the evidence, that (Walker) knows of other individuals that participated in planting evidence, for example, the shank, at the scene and the production of falsified reports,” U.S. Attorney Christopher Casanova wrote. “Consequently, despite (Walker’s) argument for leniency set forth in his sentencing memorandum about what he could have received if he had cooperated, the government submits that (Walker) made his choice, and must now be sentenced in accordance with that decision.”
Walker also had a history of assaulting at least four other inmates during his tenure at Gulf CI before the most recent attack, officers reported.
At 8 a.m. March 1, 2015, Hernandez was summoned to an office after a search of his dorm. Immediately when he entered the office, Walker without cause sprayed Hernandez with pepper spray, or O.C. spray, and began to punch and kick him, according to court records.
“Walker also hit Hernandez in the head with the O.C. spray can, causing further injury,” officials reported. “After Hernandez fell to the floor, Walker continued to punch and kick Hernandez.”
The attack left Hernandez with severe injuries, including a fractured nose and head wound that required several staples.
In an attempt to establish that he had acted in self-defense, Walker planted a homemade weapon or “shank,” officials reported. Walker also falsified reports, which has been a recurring theme among officer attacks on inmates. Walker is the first in several recent cases to receive prison time.
In August 2015, a group of officers dubbed “The Chipley Five” conspired to attack inmate Jeremiah Tatum. All five of the former prison guards — William Finch, James Perkins, Robert Miller, Christopher Christmas and Dalton Riley — were fired from the Northwest Florida Reception Center in Washington County and sentenced to either probation or house arrest. Capt. James Kirkland, who orchestrated the attack as a form of retaliation, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before he could be prosecuted in the case.
Tatum sued the surviving officers and the FDOC, but the case was dismissed in early October after an undisclosed settlement was reached.
Recently, a former colonel, Michael Baxter, was indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with a July 2015 attack on inmate Darren Glover at Apalachee Correctional Institution, causing the inmate bodily harm. Baxter, of Grand Ridge, faces charges of falsifying records and depriving an inmate of his constitutional right to not endure cruel and unusual punishment. Official records indicate Baxter, like Walker, had a history of assaulting inmates in his decades as an officer.
A trial date for Baxter has been scheduled for Jan. 16.
©2017 The News Herald (Panama City, Fla.)