Walker attorney withdraws

Published 10:28 pm Friday, September 25, 2015

The attorney for one of the defendants in the murder of downtown businessman Donald Carter was allowed to withdraw as counsel in a Friday hearing.

Walker

Walker

Lori Butts told Judge L. Wayne Farmer she has had difficulties with 32-year-old Katron Shawndell Walker from the beginning, but lately those problems have become more frequent.

“Recently there have been more difficulties in how the case should proceed from the defense perspective,” she said. “There were some things he told me that give me great concern.”

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She couldn’t say more because of attorney-client privilege but did have a short conversation at the bench with Farmer and the prosecutors.

Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney James Wiser objected to the motion, saying simply not getting along isn’t a reason to withdraw.

“This is not match.com,” he said. He also expressed concern the same problems could arise with a different attorney.

Farmer, however, granted the motion.

Walker was ruled unfit to stand trial in February and ruled restored to competency in May. His trial had been set to begin Oct. 13, but that will now be delayed.

Walker and two others — Leon Jerome Hayes and Naomi Nichelle Lambert — are accused of setting up the 82-year-old’s robbery and shooting him in the midst of the crime on Sept. 22, 2014, outside his East Washington Street furniture store.

Lambert pleaded guilty to the charges in July.

Hayes’ trial is set to begin Nov. 30.