Douglas Walker’s role in a 1992 murder led to the Three Strikes Law
In 1992, 18 year old Kimber Reynolds was murdered as she left a restaurant in Fresno California, gunned down by Joe Davis. Davis was accompanied by Douglas Walker. The pair, high on heroin, were trying to rob Reynolds of her purse when Davis shot her. Walker was convicted of robbery and attempted robbery for his role in the crime, and has been in and out of prison since his conviction. Ms. Reynolds’ killing prompted her father, Mike Reynolds, to create the Three Strikes law, California’s well-known law that requires judges to issue tougher sentences for repeat offenders.
Walker is now back in the news, accused of domestic violence against his girlfriend, making criminal threats against her, and trying to prevent her from testifying against him. Because his girlfriend has since died, the prosecution must rely on other witness statements and recorded calls to prove its case. Under California law, it is a crime to prevent or attempt to prevent a witness or victim of a crime from reporting or testifying about the crime. According to the prosecution, Walker was recorded on jailhouse calls to his girlfriend instructing her to not testify against her and to leave the jurisdiction so that she would not have to testify against him.
Dissuading a witness is a wobbler offense, which can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor. To prove the crime, a prosecutor must show that a person knowingly and maliciously prevented or dissuaded (or attempted to prevent or dissuade) a victim of a crime or a witness to a crime from attending or testifying at any judicial proceeding, reporting the crime, aiding in the prosecution process, or aiding in the arrest process.
As an Orange County criminal defense attorney will tell you, there are a number of defenses to a charge of dissuading a witness, such as a lack of knowledge or intent as to whether the person you are talking to is a witness to or a victim of a crime. There may also be insufficient evidence of the crime itself, or the evidence may be ambiguous to establish intent.
In Walker’s case, while the charge of dissuading a witness is important, the more critical issue for him is the charge of domestic violence. He already has two “strikes” against him for the robbery and attempted robbery convictions. Although he has had other convictions since that time, none have been considered strikes under California law. However, if he is convicted of domestic violence, it will be considered a strike — and he could be sent to prison for a far longer period of time than he otherwise would be for a simple domestic violence conviction.
If you have been charged with a violent crime, you may find yourself facing a “strike” under California’s Three Strikes law. You will need a skilled Orange County criminal defense attorney to defend you. Contact the Chambers Law Firm today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to schedule a free initial consultation today. We will stand by your side throughout the process and defend your rights and freedom.
