Yorkton murder victim didn't deserve fate

The overwhelming support for Mr. Walker, a murderous scumbag, is wrong and the victims' side of the story is not being told. The following article is from the Globe and Mail:

Yorkton murder victim didn't deserve fate: sisters

YORKTON (CP) - The following statement was read Friday by Alana Getty of Calgary, 29, and Kendra Getty of Vancouver, 27, on the steps of the courthouse in Yorkton where Kim Walker was on trial for the killing of James Hayward.

“We are James’s stepsisters and the following statements are our thoughts and feelings about the facts and surrounding circumstances of this case.

“We are looking forward to finally seeing justice served for our family. We would like to be sure everyone knows that ALL of the delays in the last four years were requested by the defense. The defense continues to dwell on how hard it has been for the Walker family to lead a normal life during the time, but at least they have had the opportunity. No one can understand what it is like to suddenly have a son, brother or friend eliminated from your life, especially under these violent and public circumstances. Mr. Walker’s family will be able to say goodbye to him before he goes to jail, and they’ll be able to visit him there, but our family was never given the chance to say goodbye to James.

“Mr. Walker is often described as a father, a welder and a bagpiper, but not as a gun club member with a large collection of firearms, one of which he used to shoot James to death. Mr. Walker went to James’s house with the loaded gun in its holster and two extra magazines full of bullets. Mr. Walker has never expressed any regret or remorse for killing James.

“The Walkers are not the only loving and caring family members awaiting a verdict. A lot of people loved James and he had many great qualities regardless of the way he earned money. James was a caring, funny, supportive and compassionate person. Please remember that he is not here to defend himself against any accusations.

“James bodybuilding picture is from two years before he was killed. A more recent picture has not been provided by our family because we were betrayed by the media right after James’s death. It is not an accurate picture of the person Mr. Walker encountered at the door on March 17, 2003. The pathologist testified that James only weighed 160 pounds at death. Other witnesses testified that, in the months before he was shot, James was losing weight and deteriorating; he needed help, just as Jadah needed help.

“The defense has said that, by killing James, Mr. Walker rescued his daughter from a drug addict’s death. No evidence was presented to show that she was about to die from the drug use, only that she needed help. Doctors just released Jadah that Monday morning to the care of her parents. No one knows what might have happened if James had not been killed. Perhaps they BOTH could have been saved, but no one was given the opportunity to save James. Instead, Mr. Walker decided that he was already out of options and chose to kill James. How many options were truly exhausted at that point? Drug addiction is a serious and difficult problem to resolve. They had just begun to work on Jadah’s rehabilitation when Mr. Walker took this extreme action.

“James’s mother doesn’t live in Yorkton, and although she thought he was selling marijuana and didn’t approve of that, she did not know that he started taking morphine. James did NOT sell morphine and was not taking it before he knew Jadah. James was not killing people; he did not force people to do drugs or try to get them hooked. Drug dealers do not need to advertise and the people James knew would have bought marijuana elsewhere, just as they did after he was killed. Jadah CHOSE to do drugs, CHOSE to return to James’s house the day he was killed, and CHOSE not to leave with her father. Mr. Walker CHOSE to end James’s life and he deserves punishment for that.

“We will never know whether or not Mr. Walker was waiting for an excuse to carry out his desire to kill James. If he had gone to the house only intending to get Jadah out, why didn’t he try to use the gun to PERSUADE James and Jadah? Multiple witnesses testified that he pulled the gun and immediately started shooting. Mr. Walker has received tremendous support from mush of the Yorkton community and has publicly thanked them for it….

“We can’t help but wonder how public perception may have been different if this had happened in a community where James and our family were well known, and where Mr. Walker was a stranger with a gun.

“We believe that NOT convicting Mr. Walker of murder would send the message that we don’t need to care about everyone in our communities. If we don’t respect someone’s lifestyle, or if they are breaking laws, then we cannot take their life and expect that the law won’t apply to us. Parents do NOT have the right to murder anyone their child chooses to date under ANY circumstances.