MPD officer charged in fatal
By TOM BERRY
Staff Writer
Murray Police Patrolman John Cooper has been indicted for reckless homicide in the death of Briggs & Stratton employee Ray Walker.
According to the decision handed down by a Calloway County grand jury Monday, Cooper was indicted for “recklessly causing the death of Everett Ray Walker through the operation of his motor vehicle.”
Walker, 68, was killed March 18 when he reportedly pulled into Cooper's pathway while leaving work. Kentucky State Police officials initially reported that Cooper, 29, was traveling with all his vehicle's emergency equipment activated when he struck the driver's side of Walker's vehicle, which was pulling out of L.P. Miller Street and crossing Ky. 94 to head east.
Walker was transported to Murray-Calloway County Hospital where he died of what an autopsy later determined was multiple blunt force trauma. Cooper was treated for minor injuries.
Cooper is expected to be arraigned in Calloway County Circuit Court on Monday, Sept. 8. If convicted, Cooper could face the maximum sentence of one to five years in prison.
The indictment followed a four-month investigation by KSP investigators and accident reconstructionists across the state. Troopers Russell Boyd and Tim Sales of KSP Post 1 in Mayfield served as witnesses during grand jury proceedings on the case.
According to KSP officials, state-of-the-art video and computer diagnostic technology were employed by investigators trying to determine exactly what happened during the accident.
Murray Attorney Rick Lampkin, counsel for the Walker family, said the incident is an “unfortunate tragedy.”
“No one meant for it to happen,” he said.
However Lampkin noted that the facts of the case were slow in coming.
“Since the 19th day of March, I have tried to help Mrs. Walker find out what happened that resulted in her husband's life being taken so prematurely. But I have been provided with nothing by anyone in any investigative capacity although I have repeatedly requested information.”
Lampkin said all information concerning the incident thus far had indicated that Walker was the “negative party” for reportedly pulling out in front of Cooper while the officer was responding to a silent alarm with emergency equipment activated.
“That is the way it has been the entire time. Now, finally, the grand jury, the 12 citizens of the community chosen periodically to review these things, has found there is a little bit more to the story,” Lampkin said.
“All this lady deserves is to have a full explanation of why her husband was taken from her. She is the victim. Thus far Mr. Walker has not been the victim at all and that's not fair.”
Interim Commonwealth's Attorney Margot Merrill was in court in Marshall County this morning and not available for comment on the case.
Murray Police Chief Ken Claud this morning declined comment, but noted that initial action by the department has been taken.
“Due to the seriousness of the charges, we did suspend (Cooper) with pay,” Claud said.
Story created Aug 26, 2008 - 10:50:03 EDT.
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